NEW YORK (Diya TV) — A recent report by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services shows that Indian nationals have emerged as the fifth-largest source group of people seeking asylum in the United States.
More than 13,000 Indian asylum seekers are seeking protection in the U.S. through fiscal year 2023, a greater number than in the preceding years. Among them, Gujarat has emerged as a significant source of migration; many of these asylum seekers have stated that political persecution, religious and economic instability are the primary reasons for migrating. This is part of an upward trend among Indians, particularly from this western state, who are heading abroad for refuge because of growing problems in areas of personal security and economic conditions.
Applications from Indian nationals have risen, and they rank just second to other large groups, including nationals from Venezuela, El Salvador, and Honduras. While earlier, a large number from the region of South Asia consisted of applicants from Pakistan, newer trends point towards a shift in the patterns prevailing in this region.
Gujarat has experienced political shifts and many asylum seekers belong to Muslim or communities claiming to be lower caste and assert they suffer systemic discrimination and routine threats. Some of the asylum seekers have even cited curbs on free speech and political dissent as reasons for leaving the country.
Gujarat is considered one of fastest growing parts of India, but there are critics that believe the plight of marginalized communities is obfuscated.
Indians fleeing persecution in their home country are subjected to an extremely lengthy and rigidly structured legal process in the US. Asylum seekers must show a reasonable fear of persecution on the basis of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group, but many cases from India are pending because the backlog in the US immigration courts has hit over 2 million cases nationwide.
Despite such obstacles, some parts of Indian asylum seekers have managed to cut their way through this labyrinthine legal system. As the Migration Policy Institute points out, the approval rates for Indian applicants vary widely as they are based on case and evidence.
While India is rapidly becoming a global economic force, the rise in asylum seekers has astonished many analysts. However, social and political experts believe this trend is far from abating anytime soon.
