Unpacking the Narrative: Do Asylum Seekers Contribute to the “Migrant Crisis” in the United States?

In recent years, the world has witnessed unprecedented global migration (1). Ongoing conflicts, political and economic instability, religious, racial, and ethnic persecution, as well as natural disasters and climate emergencies, have forcibly displaced millions of individuals from their homes. This phenomenon has reshaped nations’ demographics and deeply influenced political discourse, particularly surrounding immigration policies. In the United States, the issue of immigration resurfaces periodically, garnering significant attention and debate. Since political narratives have a tendency of oversimplification, the distinction between various types of immigrants, legal and illegal, is blurred. Everyone gets thrown under the bus. One group of vulnerable people unfairly affected by this negative attention is the legal refugees who have sought asylum in the United States.

Undeniably, people are migrating to the United States in significant numbers, whether legally or illegally. According to a study, approximately 44.8 million people residing in the United States as of 2018 were foreign-born (2). Of this population, nearly a quarter, accounting for 10.5 million individuals, are unauthorized immigrants. However, it is critical to clarify one fundamental aspect: asylum seekers are not illegal immigrants. Asylum seekers are those refugees who have had to leave their country due to persecution because of their race, religion, nationality, membership in any particular social group, or political opinion (3). Refugees and asylum seekers, categorized as legal migrants, constitute a very small proportion of this demographic. According to the Department of Homeland Security, only 25,519 individuals were admitted to the United States as refugees in 2022, with 11,454 and 11,840 admitted in 2021 and 2020, respectively (4).

Media coverage has played a significant role in shaping public perception regarding immigration, particularly concerning crimes committed by immigrants (5). Some media outlets have been found to hyper-focus on crimes perpetrated by foreign-born individuals, perpetuating the false notion that immigrants are inherently prone to criminal behavior. A detailed study done by Stanford associates disproved this notion when it found that first-generation immigrants are as much as 60% less likely to commit crimes that lead to imprisonment compared to Caucasian and Black Americans who are born in the United States (6). This study also points out that Mexican and Central American immigrants do tend to have higher incarceration rates when compared to other first-generation immigrants but when one accounts for their low levels of education it shows that they are still less likely to end up in prison when compared to U.S born men with similar levels of education. This is a refutation of such false claims that immigrants cause an increase in crimes.

In recent years there have been several headlines of migrant caravans coming to the United States from the South and Central America (7). Such media coverage along with an anti-immigrant spin leads to the fueling of public fears and the strengthening of bias and prejudice against the immigrant population. Politicians often utilize these sentiments to achieve their vested interests. In the face of all this, one major hurdle that has stood in the way of curbing and preventing unauthorized migration is the disagreement between the federal and the state governments in implementing border controls. The United States President and the Congress have not been able to come to an agreement on how to prevent illegal border crossings. According to the United States Border Patrol there were over 2 million apprehensions and expulsions of unauthorized migrants in 2023 alone with 2.2 and 1.6 million in 2022 and 2021 respectively (8). States like Texas have often tried to enact their own policies to curb illegal migration but have usually faced opposition from the federal government (9). All in all, this internal disagreement between the federal government leads to inefficient border controls that do not entirely curb unauthorized migration, further leading to the prejudice against those who have sought refuge in the United States against violence and persecution.

Ahmadi Muslims have felt the devastating impact of state-sanctioned persecution firsthand in Pakistan, stemming from the constitutional changes introduced in 1974 (10). These amendments, spearheaded by the then Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, declared that members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community were not Muslim, stripping them of their Islamic identity and paving the way for institutionalized discrimination. The 1974 constitutional amendments brought a profound challenge to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, not only in Pakistan but globally. By officially declaring Aḥmadi Muslims as ‘non-Muslims’, these changes essentially legalized the persecution of the community within the borders of Pakistan. The ramifications were far-reaching, subjecting Aḥmadi Muslims to widespread discrimination, social ostracization, and violence, even death. Since then, Aḥmadi Muslims in Pakistan have faced numerous challenges and violations of their fundamental human rights. Their places of worship have been targeted, their freedom of religion curtailed, and their ability to profess and practice their faith openly has been severely restricted. All this has led to the decade-long exodus of Ahmadi Muslims from the country, those who have had to seek refuge abroad to secure their religious freedoms and human rights.

While immigration remains a contentious issue in the United States, it is crucial to separate fact from fiction and avoid lumping all immigrants into a single category. Asylum seekers and refugees, in particular, are individuals who have been forced to flee their homelands due to life-threatening circumstances, and they account for a very small fraction of overall immigration figures. Rather than contributing to a “migrant crisis,” these individuals often enrich their host communities through their diverse skills, experiences, and cultural backgrounds. Many have made invaluable contributions to various sectors, from academia and healthcare to business and technology. Moreover, the United States has a legal and moral obligation, stemming from international conventions (10), to provide refuge to those facing persecution.

As Ahmadi Muslims, our own experiences with state-sanctioned persecution have instilled in us a deep empathy for the plight of asylum seekers and refugees. We understand the anguish of being forced to leave one’s homeland and the constant fear of discrimination and violence that accompanies such a journey. While addressing legitimate security concerns and streamlining the asylum process are valid priorities, it is essential to approach this issue with compassion, understanding, and a commitment to upholding the principles of human rights and religious freedom. By embracing diversity and fostering an inclusive society, the United States can continue to be a beacon of hope for those seeking a safe haven and a chance at a better life.

References:

International Organization for Migration. “World Migration Report 2022.” IOM UN MIGRATION, 2022, worldmigrationreport.iom.int/wmr-2022-interactive/. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Budiman, Abby. “Key Findings about U.S. Immigrants.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 20 Aug. 2020, http://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2020/08/20/key-findings-about-u-s-immigrants/. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Uscode.house.gov, uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title8-section1101&num=0&edition=prelim. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Department of Homeland Security. “Legal Immigration and Adjustment of Status Report.” Department of Homeland Security, 13 Mar. 2019, www.dhs.gov/immigration-statistics/special-reports/legal-immigration . Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Lee, Michael. “Boston Mayor Silent on Sanctuary City Policies amid Migrant Crime Reports.” Fox News, 2 Apr. 2024, http://www.foxnews.com/us/boston-mayor-silent-sanctuary-city-policies-amid-migrant-crime-reports. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Abramitzky, Ran , et al. LAW-ABIDING IMMIGRANTS: THE INCARCERATION GAP between IMMIGRANTS and the US-BORN, 1870–2020. July 2023, pp. 1–27, http://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w31440/w31440.pdf. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
“Migrant Caravan Heads toward U.S. Southern Border ahead of Blinken’s Trip to Mexico.” NBC News, 27 Dec. 2023, http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/migrant-caravan-heads-us-southern-border-ahead-blinkens-trip-mexico-rcna131192. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
“Border Control Encounters U.S.1990-2022.” Statista, Oct. 2022, http://www.statista.com/statistics/329256/alien-apprehensions-registered-by-the-us-border-patrol/. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
“Attorney General Ken Paxton Prevails at SCOTUS Allowing Texas Immigration Law to Take Effect | Office of the Attorney General.” http://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov, http://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-prevails-scotus-allowing-texas-immigration-law-take-effect. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.

“Operation Lone Star Holds the Line to Defend Southern Border.” Gov.texas.gov, 26 Jan. 2024, gov.texas.gov/news/post/operation-lone-star-holds-the-line-to-defend-southern-border. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.