Starting August 26, Brazil will implement new restrictions on the entry of certain Asian nationals, aiming to curb the use of the country as a transit point for migration to the United States and Canada. The new measures will affect migrants from Asian countries who require visas to stay in Brazil, compelling them to either continue their journey by air or return to their country of origin.
This policy change follows a Federal Police investigation revealing that over 70% of refuge requests at São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport came from citizens of India, Nepal, and Vietnam. These migrants, initially arriving with plans to travel onward, often remain in Brazil as they begin perilous overland journeys northward, intending to enter the US through its southern border.
The surge in irregular migration has strained Brazil’s immigration system, with the justice ministry reporting more than 9,000 requests for refuge in the first half of 2024, a significant increase compared to previous years. Authorities have noted a worrying rise in the use of fraudulent documentation and human trafficking networks exploiting these migration routes.
Brazil’s new guidelines will not apply to the nearly 500 migrants currently stranded at São Paulo’s airport. However, the government is taking steps to expedite the processing of refugee applications to prevent further congestion. Local authorities in Acre, a state bordering Peru, have expressed concern over the growing influx of undocumented migrants and the potential involvement of criminal networks.
This policy shift reflects a broader tightening of immigration controls under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration, even as Brazil continues to grant humanitarian visas to those in need, particularly from conflict zones like Afghanistan and Ukraine.
As the migration crisis deepens, the Brazilian government is seeking to balance its traditional openness to refugees with the need to maintain order and security at its borders.
