In September, diplomatic relations between India and Canada experienced a significant chill, marked by Canada's allegations against the Indian government concerning the June killing of Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil, as reported by The Times of India. However, this diplomatic tension did not discourage the determination of Indian migrants, particularly from Gujarat, who sought to enter the United States via the Canadian border.
The statistics paint a compelling picture: Data from the US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP), the largest federal law enforcement agency in the US, reveals that out of the 8,076 Indians arrested for illegally entering the US through various routes, 3,059, constituting 38 percent, were intercepted at the US-Canada border. This marks the highest number of such arrests in a single month between October 2022 and September 2023.
An insider disclosed, "Many Indian immigrants, primarily from Gujarat, had established themselves in Canada and were eagerly awaiting an opportunity to cross into the US. In August 2023, 2,327 illegal immigrants were apprehended while attempting to make their way into the US, a number that rose to 3,059 in September. Among these individuals, there were four unaccompanied children, four children accompanied by family members, and 530 who arrived with their entire families. The largest category consisted of 2,521 single adults."
Typically, illegal immigrants prefer to cross into the US via the Mexican border rather than the Canadian border. However, in September 2023, the number of illegal immigrants arrested at the US-Mexico border—3,862—was nearly identical to those reported by the USCBP.
The data reveals a startling trend. Between February 2019 and March 2023, an astonishing 1.90 lakh (190,000) Indians were apprehended while attempting to enter the US unlawfully. The influx of illegal immigrants continues unabated, even as several families have met tragic fates during their attempts. For instance, in January 2022, a family from Gandhinagar's Dingucha village froze to death just 10 meters from the US-Canada border. In April of the same year, a family from Mehsana drowned in the St. Lawrence River while attempting to enter the US illegally.
Despite the concerted efforts of the Gujarat police and various Indian, US, and Canadian agencies to curb illegal immigration, the flow remains seemingly unstoppable, according to a police officer.
