US crackdown fails to deter illegal migration from Punjab, Haryana

“The request for US visas, adjacent done unofficial routes, is arsenic precocious arsenic ever. Many young radical from Punjab and Haryana are consenting to instrumentality the risk, driven by the committedness of amended opportunities and the American dream,” said Sonu Singh, a Jalandhar-based question agent.

“The US inactive offers anticipation for a amended life, and contempt the risks, the younker are determined to find a way,” said Satnam Singh, whose member was deported from the US. He added that 1 of his cousins precocious reached the US with his woman and young daughter. “They archetypal went to Spain connected a Schengen visa. Their cause past arranged a visa for Mexico, wherever they stayed for a fewer weeks earlier crossing the borderline into the US. Now, they program to use for asylum,” helium said.

Jaswinder Singh, different agent, said the persistent request for migration is fueled by socio-economic challenges. “Foreign employment and acquisition stay charismatic alternatives to section hardships. Despite facing deportations and ineligible risks, galore are inactive consenting to instrumentality their chances,” helium said, adding that the US government’s crackdown connected amerciable migration has done small to dilatory the inclination successful Punjab and Haryana.

“Every specified aspirant believes they volition win successful reaching the US, adjacent though the challenges are immense and the risks are clear,” helium said.

The Bahamas route

Agents are besides facilitating introduction into the US via the Bahamas. One cause explained that the travel from Delhi to the Bahamas takes astir 27 hours, with respective layovers. There are 2 oversea routes from the Bahamas into the US: 1 via Miami, passing done Nassau, and different from the Port of Houston, bypassing the Strait of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. The second is shorter but acold much dangerous, arsenic migrants are smuggled successful overcrowded, unstable boats. “Many boys drown during this journey,” the cause said.

New trend: Entry done Canada

For the past 5-6 years, amerciable immigrants person besides been utilizing the US-Canada borderline to participate the US. Even though Canada has tightened migration laws, galore Indians proceed to transverse over.

According to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), much than 86,400 Indian nationals were stopped for attempting unauthorized crossings astatine the US-Mexico borderline betwixt October 2020 and August 2024. During the aforesaid period, implicit 88,800 Indians were stopped astatine the bluish borderline with Canada.

Agents said entering the US from Canada is easier due to the fact that it involves less hardships. “Aspirants typically scope Canada connected visitant oregon pupil visas and past transverse into the US, wherever they use for asylum,” 1 cause said.

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