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UK records rise in Indians entering illegally
The British government reported that Indians were the ninth-largest nationality among undocumented migrants.
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Most of the Indians who arrived on small boats applied for asylum. / Image - Pexels
The number of Indians illegally entering the United Kingdom by crossing the English Channel on small boats increased sharply in 2023, the British government said.
According to government data, 1,192 Indians entered illegally in 2023 a sharp rise of 59.3 percent from the previous year when 748 Indians entered illegally. The figures were part of the UK’s “Irregular Migration to the UK” statistics for 2023.
A majority of the Indians who entered the UK through undocumented channels in 2023 were men between the ages of 18 and 39. As many as 67 Indians had crossed over in 2021, and 64 in 2020. The government said that no Indians had crossed over into Britain in 2018 and 2019.
Indians constituted the ninth-largest nationality among undocumented migrants to arrive in the UK using small boats in 2023. The highest numbers were
Afghan nationals, with 5,545 crossing the English Channel.
Most of the Indians who arrived on small boats had applied for asylum with the British government and were awaiting a decision. However, the asylum claims of 57 Indians who arrived between January and March this year were rejected.
The British government tabled a draft law in November 2023 that aimed to include India in its "safe states" list. This designation would render asylum claims of Indians arriving in the United Kingdom without documents inadmissible, as reported by the Times of India.
The British Home Office also stated that despite individuals not being at obvious risk of persecution, the number of Indians arriving in the country without documents on small boats had increased over the past year.
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