2024-08-22 11:00:42
The illegal route to the US and Canada for many Indians and other South Asians is via Brazil. The South American nation has realised how flight layovers are exploited by illegal immigrants — mostly from India, Nepal and Vietnam — to enter the US and Canada, and plans to restrict their entry into the country.
From Monday (August 27), Brazil will begin imposing restrictions on the entry of some Asians who are seeking refuge in the country in their attempt to migrate to the US and Canada, reports the Associated Press.
This move, the report said, would impact Asian migrants who require visas to remain in Brazil.
The trick employed by the illegal immigrants is simple, a police probe revealed.
They book tickets to other destinations with layovers at Sao Paulo’s international airport. They don’t continue with their journey and stay back in Brazil to request for refuge.
They exploit Sao Paulo as a convenient stopover for their journey to the preferred North American countries of the US and Canada.
70% OF REQUEST REFUGE FROM INDIA, NEPAL AND VIETNAM
More than 70% of requests for refuge at the Sau Paulo airport are from Indian, Nepalese or Vietnamese people, the AP reported after analysing official documents.
From August 27, travellers without visas will either have to continue with their pre-booked journey by air, or return to their country of origin, according to the Brazilian Justice Ministry.
The new restrictions come in response to an increase in migrants using Brazil as a transit point to the US and Canada.
According to the Brazilian Federal Police, many of these migrants have been exploiting layovers at Sao Paulo’s international airport.
Instead of continuing to their final destinations, they stay in Brazil and request refuge, creating a backlog in the country’s immigration system.
Marinho da Silva Rezende Junior, a federal police investigator, highlighted that the influx of migrants has caused “great turmoil” at Guarulhos Airport, the second most populous city in the state of Sao Paulo.
“Evidence suggests that those migrants, in their majority, are making use of the known — and extremely dangerous — route that goes from Sao Paulo to the western state of Acre, so they can access Peru and go toward Central America and then, finally, reach the US from its southern border,” one of the documents says.
An Associated Press investigation in July revealed migrants passing through the Amazon, including some from Vietnam and India.
Many of these migrants find themselves stuck in Acre, waiting for the right moment to continue their journey to North America, especially as US border policies fluctuate, reported CNN.
BRAZIL’S OPEN DOOR POLICY NOW MORE RESTRICTIVE
Brazil has historically been welcoming refugees, especially those fleeing crises in countries like Afghanistan, Syria, and Ukraine.
The Brazilian government, under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has granted thousands of humanitarian visas, particularly to Afghans.
Between September 2021 and April 2024, Brazil issued 11,248 humanitarian visas to Afghan nationals alone.
However, the current administration is becoming more cautious, particularly as the immigration system becomes overwhelmed.
Although Brazil continues to offer humanitarian visas, the guidelines for obtaining them have become more stringent under Lula’s administration.
The new restrictions, set to begin on August 27, will not apply to the 484 migrants currently staying at Sao Paulo’s international airport.
However, going forward, travellers who arrive without proper visas will be required to either continue their journey to their pre-booked destinations or return to their country of origin.
This measure is intended to prevent further strain on Brazil’s immigration system and reduce the misuse of the country as a waystation for those attempting to reach the US and Canada.
Brazil’s federal prosecutors have also expressed concern over the growing number of migrants arriving at Sao Paulo’s airport.
They have urged airlines to provide basic necessities for migrants waiting for their refugee status to be processed.
Federal Prosecutor Guilherme Rocha Gopfert emphasised the importance of quickly resolving these refugee requests to prevent further disruption at the airport.
In a report, Brazil’s Federal Police noted that they had received 9,082 requests for refuge by July 15, 2024.
This figure is more than double the total number of requests received in all of 2023, marking the highest number of refuge requests in over a decade.
Brazil immigration restrictions, Illegal immigration route to US and Canada, Asian migrants exploiting layovers, Sao Paulo airport refugee requests, India, Nepal, and Vietnam migrant influx, Brazil's open door policy changes, Humanitarian visa guidelines tightened, Migrant backlog in Brazil's immigration system
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