Despite fatalities among Indians attempting to enter the United States illegally, there has been no let up in the number of people trying to enter 'the land of promise'. According to the data from US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP), between October 2022 and September 2023, an incredible 96,917 Indians were detained while entering the country illegally. To date, this is the most number of Indians apprehended at the US border.
Of these, 30,010 were caught at the northern land border of Canada, while 41,770 were apprehended at the southwest land border with Mexico. The rest are those who get caught mainly after crossing the borders.
Law enforcement and central agencies point out that these figures represent only recorded cases, and the actual number of illegal Indian immigrants is likely to be significantly higher. “This is just the tip of the iceberg. For every person caught at the border, there may be at least 10 others who successfully infiltrated the US,” said a Gujarat police officer.
Comparing these numbers to that from the period between October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020, which saw 19,883 Indians caught attempting illegal entry, reflects a five-fold increase in recent years. “These are mainly people from Gujarat and Punjab who have aspirations to settle in America,” said an officer of Gujarat police cracking down on illegal immigration rackets. The categories of people arrested are: unaccompanied minors, minors with family members and full families.