Rush Hour: Surge in Indians seeking US asylum, all participants of India’s Got Latent booked & more

The number of Indian citizens seeking asylum in the United States grew eightfold between 2020 and 2023, according to a study by researchers from Johns Hopkins University. While 6,000 Indian nationals had applied for refuge in the US in 2020, the number touched 51,000 in 2023.

The US grants asylum to persons fleeing persecution or other harm in their home countries. The study found that since 2001, Punjabi speakers consistently emerged as the largest group of Indian migrants seeking asylum in the US. They were also more likely to have their asylum requests approved by US immigration courts.

“The vast majority of asylum seekers are economic migrants who face limited economic opportunities at home and thus seek employment opportunities abroad,” stated the study.

This comes against the backdrop of the US deporting at least 335 Indian nationals since February 5. The deportations are part of a wider crackdown by US President Donald Trump’s administration. According to the study, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported the removal of over 1,500 Indian nationals from the US in the financial year 2024. More on Scroll.

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