The approaching US presidential elections has changed the ground reality for illegal immigrants from India trying to enter the US. The US Border Patrol has become more vigilant leading to many illegal immigrants being caught and deported.
In the last financial year, over 1,000 Indians, including 10 Gujaratis, were deported from the US. Since the beginning of the current financial year in October 2023, 1,195 Indians, including 11 Gujaratis, have been deported.
Still, in the current US financial year (October 2023 to September 2024), nearly 13,700 people, including around 300 Gujaratis, have entered the US illegally. Punjabis constitute the largest group of illegal immigrants, according to sources.
Illegal immigrants from India try to enter the US either from the northern border via Canada or the southern border via Mexico. New Hampshire, Vermont and New York are the three border states from which illegal immigrants attempt to enter the US from Canada.
In the period between October 1, 2022 and September 30, 2023, around 30,000 Indians crossed into the US from the northern border. This is a huge number. Over 1,200 were of Gujarati origin.
Southern border
The entry of illegal immigrants from India to the US through its southern border with Mexico is higher. Sources revealed that in the last financial year, 41,770 Indians entered the US illegally through the Mexico border, with approximately 500 being Gujaratis. From October 2023 to date, 13,522 Indians, including around 300 Gujaratis, have entered the US illegally via Mexico.
Gujarat police are closely monitoring human smugglers operating from Gujarat and several arrests have been made. Recently, several potential illegal immigrants to the US from Gujarat, being facilitated by human traffickers in Dubai, Nicaragua and Europe, have returned home.
The plan was to send them to Mexico and then into the US. Smuggling cartels were reportedly unable to bear their living costs and sent them back to India. They were told another attempt would be made once the US presidential elections are over.
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