Surging Immigrants... US Asylum Applications Increase 12-Fold in 10 Years

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 8th (local time) that immigration issues are emerging as major points of contention ahead of elections in various countries.

Immigrants from Venezuela are warming themselves by a fire after crossing the Rio Bravo (known as the Rio Grande in the United States) in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. / Photo by Yonhap News

Immigrants generally try to enter developed countries for economic reasons, but the asylum system, designed to protect refugees from persecution, has been used as a legal means of entry and residence, leading to a surge in asylum applications, WSJ reported.

In the United States, the number of asylum applications, which was only 76,000 in 2013, has increased more than twelvefold over ten years, reaching nearly 920,000 in 2023. Since one asylum application is filed per family, the actual number of asylum seekers is expected to be higher. According to WSJ, most family-based immigrants entering the U.S. apply for asylum, and they account for half of the 2 million illegal immigrants who crossed the border from Mexico last year.

In Europe, the number of asylum applications last year reached 1.14 million, the highest since 2016 when immigrants fleeing the Syrian civil war arrived in large numbers. During the same period, Germany received 330,000 asylum applications, excluding those from Ukraine, which is at war with Russia. The UK spends $3.9 billion (5.3 trillion won) annually to provide accommodation for asylum seekers while they await the results of their applications.

Canada also saw its asylum applications more than double last year, reaching 138,000. According to United Nations data, the global number of asylum applications in 2022 was 2.6 million, a 30% increase compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. As asylum applications have surged, countries are seeking solutions.

WSJ analyzed that the increase in immigrants is influenced by the war in Ukraine, the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, the Syrian civil war, and authoritarian rule in Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua. Easier cross-border movement and strengthened smuggling networks cannot be overlooked either.

WSJ reported that in a situation where the path to U.S. immigration is narrowing even for highly skilled individuals, asylum is considered the best immigration option. Rebecca Press, a New York lawyer specializing in asylum cases, said, "There are hardly any options other than asylum."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.