Illegal immigration from Canada to the United States has seen a sharp rise among people of Indian origin, US border patrol data shows.
While the pipeline of illegal immigration from India has existed for a long time, it has increased significantly in the last few years, reports American news agency Associated Press.
According to the US border patrol data cited in the report, more than 14,000 Indians have been arrested along the US-Canada border in the year ending September 30 – a staggering 10-fold rise in just two years. The arrests of persons of Indian origin amounted to 60 per cent of all arrests along the US-Canada border.
According to data revealed by the Pew Research Center, it is estimated that by 2022, there were already more than 725,000 Indians living illegally in the US – behind only Mexicans and El Salvadorans.
While greater research and analysis is required to understand why there is such a surge in illegal immigration from Canada to the US, it is understood that a combination of factors contribute to this, including political repression, a rise in Khalistan extremism in Canada which target Indians, a dysfunctional US immigration system, extremely long waits for visas and permits under the existing legal immigration system, and economic inequality.
But there is also a human rights angle – An incident in 2022 underscores the urgent need for effective immigration policies and increased awareness about the risks associated with illegal border crossings.
On a bitterly cold January night in 2022, Jagdish Patel, his wife Vaishaliben, and their two young children embarked on a perilous journey to cross the US-Canada border, seeking a better life.
Their dreams, however, were cruelly cut short. The family of four succumbed to the freezing temperatures, their bodies found in a snowy field, a heartbreaking testament to the human cost of illegal immigration.
The Patels’ story began in Dingucha, a small village in western India’s Gujarat state. Like many others, they were lured by the promise of a brighter future in the West. The village, once thriving, now has blocks of vacant homes, as many residents have left in search of greener pastures. The Patel family, comprising schoolteachers Jagdish and Vaishaliben, and their children, Vihangi (11) and Dharmik (3), were driven by the desire for economic prosperity.
Their journey was facilitated by Harshkumar Patel, an experienced smuggler nicknamed “Dirty Harry,” and Steve Shand, a driver recruited by Patel. The two men, accused of being part of a sophisticated human smuggling operation, are set to stand trial on charges related to human smuggling.
On the fateful night, the Patels, along with seven other Indian migrants, attempted to cross the border on foot, braving temperatures as low as -36 degrees F (-38 degrees Celsius). The group, poorly equipped for the harsh conditions, became separated in the darkness. While seven survivors were eventually rescued, the Patel family perished, their bodies discovered the next morning.
The incident highlights the growing issue of illegal immigration from India, driven by economic aspirations and facilitated by smuggling networks.
Satveer Chaudhary, a Minneapolis-based immigration attorney, notes that smugglers often target vulnerable individuals, charging exorbitant fees and exploiting their desperation.
As the trial of Patel and Shand begins, the focus shifts to the human cost of illegal immigration. The Patel family’s tragic fate serves as a poignant reminder of the dangers and uncertainties faced by those seeking a better life.
Hemant Shah, an Indian-born businessman who organized a virtual prayer service for the Patels, lamented the greed that drove the smuggling operation, stating, “There was no humanity.”
Donald Trump is poised to make a significant impact on immigration policies from day one of his presidency, with plans to unleash a flurry of executive actions aimed at bolstering immigration enforcement and dismantling key Biden-era legal entry programs. This sweeping effort will be spearheaded by Tom Homan, Trump’s newly appointed “border czar,” alongside other prominent Republican immigration hardliners.
As the global community grapples with the complexities of migration, the memory of the Patel family serves as a heartbreaking reminder of the devastating consequences of desperation and exploitation.
