Making headlines in Asia, the plane carrying 303 passengers, mostly Indians, has been stuck on the tarmac at Marne airport, France, since Thursday. At the end of his technical stopover, he was due to leave for Nicaragua, but French authorities fighting organized crime suspected that he was being used in an illegal immigration ring. This affair caused a stir in India.
From our correspondent in Bangalore,
This affair clearly made headlines in the Indian media. About 300 Indians stuck in France are nothing. But we don't know much more about India than about France.
Therefore, this is a flight of the Romanian company Legend Airlines, which left Dubai and is taking a technical break to reach Managua. Two passengers suspected of being leaders of the clandestine network were allegedly planning to cross the border into the United States.
The Indian Embassy in France appeared hopeful, having obtained consular access and claiming it was investigating the situation and ensuring the welfare of the passengers. They were evacuated on Saturday to a terminal where they could rest in bed, but remained in detention. Moreover, there were eleven unaccompanied minors on this flight.
The first news came this Sunday via the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Indian citizens are mostly poor and come from the states of Gujarat and Punjab. This refers to a reality known to Indians, because these are the two states where there is a lot of emigration, especially to the United States.
Indian immigration to America increased rapidly
Renting an entire plane may be a new method, but it is clear that for some Indians, the United States is the right place and they are willing to take any risk. The process is often the same: you land in a nearby country where you can get a visa easily, then you cross the border illegally on foot.
If the trip goes smoothly, that's when the problems can start. Last April, four Indian citizens from Gujarat froze to death while trying to return to the United States via the Canadian border. This has shaken India. If the weather is hotter, the route from Nicaragua is also very dangerous, prone to local mafia or deadly insects.
Less publicized than Mexican immigration, Indian immigration is growing rapidly in the United States. To put that in perspective, US customs arrested 20,000 illegal Indians in 2020, compared with nearly 100,000 in 2023. They now make up the third largest population of illegal Indian workers there.
There is, of course, legal immigration of Indians to the United States, particularly through universities and technology companies. However, these funds are only intended for a handful of Indians who can afford registration fees and living expenses. The most disadvantaged groups hope to find petty work among the established diaspora, through illegal and dangerous means. A Bollywood film even tells the story of a group of friends who are determined to reach the United States via a secret route.
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