Indian asylum seekers in US jump from 4,300 to 41,300 in two years, marking 855 per cent surge; Report
By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Nov 11, 2024, 8:33 AM ISTIndian asylum applications in the US have soared, rising from 4,330 in FY 2021 to 41,330 in FY 2023, marking an 855% increase, according to the US Department of Homeland Security.
The past three years have witnessed a sharp rise in the number of Indians applying for asylum in the United States, highlighting the enduring appeal of the American dream. According to data from the US Department of Homeland Security, Indian asylum applications skyrocketed from 4,330 in the 2021 fiscal year to 41,330 in FY 2023—an increase of 855%. Indian officials report that nearly half of these applicants hail from Gujarat.
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In 2023, Indians ranked as the fifth largest group applying for defensive asylum and the seventh largest for affirmative asylum. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's 2023 Asylees Annual Flow Report, released in October, 5,340 Indians were granted asylum that year.
In FY 2021, a total of 4,330 Indian asylum seekers were recorded, comprising 2,090 affirmative applications submitted to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and 2,240 defensive applications. The following year, the number of applicants almost tripled to 14,570, with 5,370 affirmative and 9,200 defensive applications. By FY 2023, Indian asylum applications had soared to 41,330, nearly three times the total from the previous year.
In FY 2021, 1,330 Indians were granted asylum, with 700 through affirmative applications and 630 via defensive proceedings. This figure more than tripled in FY 2022, reaching 4,260, including 2,180 affirmative and 2,080 defensive grants. The trend persisted in FY 2023, when 5,340 Indians received asylum—2,710 through affirmative cases and 2,630 through defensive proceedings—making India the fifth-largest nationality for defensive asylum grants.
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