Washington, United States

The Northern Land border of the US, the land crossing with Canada, saw a sharp increase in illegal crossings by Indian nationals this year, according to official data from US Customs and Border Patrol (USCBP).

Advertisment

USCBP noted that this fiscal year, 43,764 Indians were detained by border forces — making up 22 per cent of the 198,929 total encounters recorded at the border. 

As per USCBP, data fiscal year runs from October to September the next year.

Also read | Donald Trump picks daughter's father-in-law Massad Boulos as his Middle East advisor

Advertisment

In contrast, in the fiscal year 2022, Indian nationals accounted for nearly 16 per cent (17,331) of the 109,535 border encounters.

By 2023, as the number of total illegal crossings swelled to 189,402, the number of Indian nationals jumped to 30,010. 

These figures represent only those intercepted by authorities.

Advertisment

Data

Trump's border moves

US President-elect Donald Trump, a vocal advocate of harsher border controls, has publicly called on Canada to curb these crossings, warning of a 25 per cent potential tariff on Canadian exports if the issue isn't addressed.

During a recent visit to Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, accompanied by Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc — in charge of the USCBP’s counterpart, the Canadian Border Services Agency — reportedly discussed this matter alongside broader bilateral concerns. 

Also read | Joe Biden officially pardons son Hunter, says 'I hope Americans will understand'

Why Canada border?

The US-Canada border is traditionally less scrutinised than its southern counterpart — the US-Mexico border.

According to the Washington-based think-tank, Niskanen Center, Canada, is an "increasingly a more accessible entry point for Indians".

The average processing time for a Canadian visitor visa is 76 days, compared to a nearly year-long wait for US visas. 

"The US-Canada border is also longer and less guarded than the US-Mexico border," it added. 

(With inputs from agencies)