Indian Immigrants Risk Their Lives Entering the US Through the Mexican Border
As a growing number of Indian immigrants pursue immigration to or asylum in the United States, some are unable to enter the country through official ports, leading to an increase in crossings at the US-Mexico border. Unfortunately, this method of entering the country is extremely dangerous, and in some cases, immigrants have died attempting to cross.
The tragic death of six-year-old Gurapreet Kaur is one such case. Gurapreet and her mother had hoped to join her father in New York City, where his asylum case was pending. They were dropped off near the border by smugglers and attempted the crossing with a group including three other Indian immigrants. Temperatures soared to 108 degrees, and Gurapreet’s mother and another woman left the group to search for water. Sadly, they were unable to reunite with the group, and Border Patrol later found Gurapreet’s body. It was determined that she died of heat stroke in the intense desert heat., and US officials blamed the smugglers who forced the family to cross in a remote area during a heat wave.
Unfortunately, many other immigrants face similarly dangerous situations when crossing into the country through the US-Mexico border. However, they may also face dangers at home, including religious or political persecution, and as a result, they might take their chances on immigrating in this risky way.
“Most Indian migrants who travel through Latin America enter Mexico through Ecuador or Brazil, as these two countries have lax visa laws. From there, they continue north, following main highways through Colombia and Central America before arriving at the US southern border,” said Caitlyn Yates, an immigration expert and research coordinator at the Washington-based IBI Consultants firm.
Deepak Ahluwalia, an immigration attorney in Fresno, California, adds that Indian political dissidents, minorities, and members of the LGBTQ community are more likely to seek asylum in other countries. But in the US, they face a complex immigration system where, until recently, judges were under pressure to meet a quota of cleared cases, placing intense time pressure on the immigrant and their legal team. These Trump-era quotas were later suspended by the Justice Department, but many obstacles still remain for immigrants seeking asylum. While denials have fallen from 71 percent in 2020 to 63 percent in 2021, most cases are still denied.
What can asylum seekers do to improve their chances of success? Engaging an immigration attorney is one of the best first steps. Research shows that immigrants who have legal representation are more likely to win asylum or otherwise achieve relief from deportation.
Contact Singh Ahluwalia Attorneys at Law Today
Seeking asylum or legal status through the intricate US immigration system is a challenging task, but an experienced immigration lawyer can give you the best chance of success. Lead immigration attorney Deepak Ahluwalia of Singh Ahluwalia Attorneys at Law is a notable expert on the American immigration system, giving interviews on the subject to the BBC, NPR, CNN, The Guardian, and other top news organizations. He has assisted hundreds of thousands of immigrants through the daunting immigration process and is available for a free, confidential consultation about your case.
