New Delhi: The number of undocumented Indians entering the USA on foot from Canada has increased to an all-time high, according to data examined by The Indian Express. This spike has brought attention to Canada’s visa screening procedure.
The USA-Canada border is the world’s longest open border
The most recent statistics available from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicates that 5,152 undocumented Indians crossed the border into the US on foot from Canada in June alone, setting a record. And the monthly number of Indians entering the US from Canada has surpassed those crossing over from the notorious Mexico route since December 2023.
The US-Canada border is the world’s longest open border, spanning approximately 9,000 kilometers. It’s over twice as long as the Mexico span, and it’s almost three times as long as India’s 3,400-kilometer border with China.
The average monthly count of Indians who were “encountered” (i.e., detained, banished, or denied entry) at the US border with Canada between January and June of this year scaled by 47% to 3,733 from 2,548 in 2023, according to US CBP data.
These figures take on importance when compared to the growing economic influence of the legally settled Indian people in the United States. For example, according to a recent analysis by Boston Consulting Group, although making up only 1.5% of the US population, Indian Americans are predicted to pay between 5 and 6% of all income taxes in the country.
Similar data from across the Atlantic, however, indicates that the number of Indians seeking refuge “at port” in the UK increased by 136% between 2022 and 2021 (1,170 vs. 495), and then increased again in 2023 (1,319). Up to June of this year, 475 asylum seekers have been recorded “at port.”
It has been discovered that a “significant share” of these applicants are transit passengers with a layover in the UK en route to Canada. The Indian Express was informed by a number of sources that Canada has been informed of these concerns by both the US and the UK. According to the sources, the UK has suggested that all Indian people traveling to Canada seek transit permits for any stops, while the US has been pushing for a stricter visa screening procedure.
According to Canada’s Refugee Protection Division (RPD), the number of Indian people requesting asylum has increased dramatically. Indians filed 6,056 claims this year during the January–March quarter alone, up from 9,060 claims in 2023.
The uptrend began in 2017, coinciding with Canada’s easing of visa requirements in an attempt to attract international students. According to government data, the number of foreign students studying in Canada increased by 61% between 2016 and 2022, from 5,23,971 to 844,444.
READ: What to expect from Rahul Gandhi’s visit to USA as a leader of opposition