Canadian visa in hand, record number of Indians illegally enter US, seek asylum in UK|ADHYAYAN IAS

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-II: International Relations

Importance of News and its relevancy

The number of undocumented Indians crossing over from Canada to the US on foot has reached an all-time high.This spike has placed Canada’s visa screening process under the lens — more so, due to parallel concerns over Canada-bound Indian passengers seeking asylum in the UK while in transit.

Key factors and concepts

• According to the latest US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data, an all-time high of 5,152 undocumented Indians entered the US from Canada on foot this June alone. And, the monthly number of Indians entering the US from Canada has surpassed those crossing over from the notorious Mexico route since December 2023.
• Stretching over nearly 9,000 km, the US-Canada line is the longest open border in the world, more than twice as long as the Mexico span and, incidentally, nearly thrice the length of India’s 3,400-km border with China.
• Corresponding data from across the Atlantic shows that the number of Indians seeking asylum “at port” in the UK saw a 136% spike in 2022 (1,170) over 2021 (495) before going up further in 2023 (1,319). This year, 475 asylum seekers have already been recorded “at port” until June.
• “Canada offers the ideal combination of an accessible visa and a soft border. It’s a much safer option than taking one of those ‘dunki’ (illegal) routes via West Asia, Africa or the Caribbean, to join the crowd waiting to cross the heavily guarded Mexico border,” said an immigration consultant registered with the Canada Regulatory Council.
• UK’s Transit Loophole: If the Canada border is attracting undocumented Indians to the US, the UK lure is the exemption for Canada-bound Indians from obtaining transit visas for London stopovers. In fact, the jump in the number of Indians stands out among the top five asylum seekers by nationality in the UK. 
• Points to Ponder: 
• What is the status of India-US bilateral relations?
• How does illegal migration impact U.S.-India relations? 
• What legal frameworks exist in India to address illegal migration? 
• How does illegal migration contribute to socio-economic issues?
• Post Read Question:
• “Refugees should not be turned back to the country where they would face persecution or human right violation”. Examine the statement with reference to the ethical dimension being violated by the nation claiming to be democratic with open society. (UPSC CSE 2021)
• SOURCE THE INDIAN EXPRESS