Brazil intends to limit the entry of specific Asian migrants, with the objective of reducing immigration to the United States and Canada.
Commencing on Monday, this initiative affects migrants of Asian origin who need visas to reside in Brazil.
Investigations conducted by the Federal Police indicate that these migrants frequently book flights with layovers at Sao Paulo's international airport. However, instead of continuing their journey, they stay in Brazil and initiate their journey northward, according to official documents provided to The Associated Press.
Over 70% of refuge requests at the airport originate from individuals with Indian, Nepalese or Vietnamese citizenship, one of the documents reveals.
Beginning next week, travelers lacking visas will be required to either complete their journey via plane or return to their home country, as announced by the ministry.
A report penned by federal police investigator Marinho da Silva Rezende Júnior highlights the disruption caused by the surge of migrants at the Guarulhos airport, a bustling city within the state of Sao Paulo, since the start of last year.
The report suggests that these migrants, primarily, utilize the treacherous route that extends from Sao Paulo to the western state of Acre. This allows them entry into Peru and eventual progression towards Central America, ultimately reaching the United States' southern border.
An AP investigation in July identified migrants navigating the Amazon, with some hailing from Vietnam and India. Upon encountering US border policies, many migrants returned to Acre, situated on the border with Peru, leading to a wait-and-see approach.
Brazil's justice ministry has confirmed that the new guidelines will not apply to the 484 migrants presently residing at Sao Paulo's international airport.
Earlier this week, Brazil's federal prosecutors' office issued a statement, claiming that Sao Paulo's international airport is once again witnessing an elevated number of foreign travelers entering via flights operated by LATAM, due to the migration system's overload.
The prosecutors' office added that they will strive to encourage airlines to provide migrants with essential supplies while they await their refuge application approval.
LATAM did not promptly respond to the AP's request for comment.
"It's essential that we promptly address these refuge application requests to prevent the influx of foreigners from disrupting the airport's operations itself," stated federal prosecutor Guilherme Rocha Goepfert following a meeting at Sao Paulo's international airport.
One of the documents reveals that Brazil's federal police received 9,082 refuge application requests through July 15 of this year. This represents more than double the total number of requests for the entire year 2023 and the highest volume in over a decade, as per the data.
Despite its history of providing refuge, particularly to Afghans, reports of migrants seeking refugee status as a means to exploit Brazil as a transit hub have sparked apprehension in the government, specifically during a period when the system is struggling to accommodate numerous individuals from Haiti, Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine seeking humanitarian visas.
Brazil granted 11,248 humanitarian visas to Afghans alone between September 2021 and April 2024, as per government statistics.
In January 2023, in the early stages of his presidency, Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva decided to reinstate his country's participation in the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration, an international agreement.
His administration has maintained humanitarian visas, yet the criteria for their issuance have grown more stringent under his leadership.
The initiative affecting migrants in Brazil has attracted attention beyond its borders, as the World Health Organization expressed concern about the potential health risks posed by the surge of migrants at Sao Paulo's airport.
Moreover, the Americas have witnessed a significant increase in migration trends, with Brazil being a key transit point for migrants aiming to reach the United States' southern border.
