Originally published September 25, 2023 8:59 am PDT
In 2022, the European Union experienced a notable influx of illegal immigrants, with reports highlighting that a substantial majority of these migrants were adult males.
Frontex, the EU’s border and coastal agency, disclosed that only 8% of the 331,553 illegal immigrants who entered European nations were women, primarily originating from the Middle East and northeast African countries, numbering 26,446, The Blaze reports.
The agency anticipates heightened challenges at the borders as disruptions to global stability and essential supplies persist.
“It is assessed as highly likely that disruptions to global security, food and energy supplies, together with macroeconomic factors in key countries of origin of irregular migration and cross-border crime will put the European Border and Coast Guard (EBCG) to the test,” stated the Frontex report.
The Western Balkan region, encompassing Syrian, Afghan, and Turkish migrants, accounted for almost 145,000 people, marking the most significant share of illegal arrivals between January 1 and December 31, 2022.
The Central Mediterranean region, including migrants from Egypt, Tunisia, and Bangladesh, constituted the second-largest group, comprising over 105,000 illegal immigrants.
Syrians were the predominant nationality, amounting to over 98,000 recorded migrants, followed by Afghanistan at 36,031.
Of all the migrants, 70,726 traversed through Europe to reach the English Channel, aspiring to cross into the United Kingdom.
The origins of more than half of these immigrants (42,646) remain unidentified.
Furthermore, the report revealed that only 18% of the migrants detected for “illegal border-crossing on entry at external sea borders” were children, emphasizing the predominance of adult males amongst the illegal arrivals.
Frontex also raised concerns regarding the potential rise in clandestine entry in the upcoming year, warning, “There is much to suggest that clandestine entry may increase in the next year in line with expected higher migratory pressure at the EU external borders in general.”
Moreover, the ease of restriction measures following the COVID-19 pandemic witnessed a surge in illegal entries and usage of fraudulent documents, The Blaze notes.
The agency recorded a 5% uptick in fraudulent activities compared to the preceding year.
EU member states encountered nearly 20,000 individuals possessing around 27,000 fraudulent documents at their borders.
The report alarms the security apparatus in the continent, stressing the growing utilization of deceptive documentation as a means to gain entry.
This surge in male-dominated migration and fraudulent activities calls for an enhanced and vigilant security framework to counter the emerging challenges at the European borders.
Read the Frontex report below:
