New official data from the European Union has poured cold water on the narrative that the flood of illegal immigrants is mostly families seeking asylum.
In 2022, the vast majority of migrants who illegally entered the European Union were military-aged males.
Just 8 percent of the illegal border crossers were female.
The figures were revealed by the European Border Agency Frontex in its 2023-2024 risk analysis report.
In what Frontex terms “clandestine entries,” the leading group of nationals were Afghans, making up 33 percent.
15 percent were Syrians.
The third largest group was from Turkey, making up 10 percent.
However, the Frontex report also warns that the crisis is deepening and shows no signs of slowing.
The report states that illegal entries are likely to further increase next year.
“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,” it said.
“At the same time, increased vehicle traffic at select border-crossing points (not to mention possibly altered circumstances while crossing land BCPs during the introduction of the Entry-Exit System) increases the chances of clandestine migrants going undetected, often under life-threatening and inhumane conditions.”
The report also pointed out that illegal entrants come from countries (mostly Afghanistan and Syria) “where some of the largest increases in movements to Europe may be expected.”
Frontex also said that in addition to illegal migration, there was also a proliferation of drug smuggling networks into the European Union.
In 2022, reported drug seizures amounted to 1,898 cases.
The report reveals that authorities confiscated 252 tons of illicit drugs.
For years, critics of mass immigration have noted that most of the illegal migrants coming to Europe are fighting-age males.
The split is a sharp contrast to the majority of women who fled Ukraine when the war broke out.
In addition, the reports note that the vast majority of these males are economic migrants.
They are not fleeing war or persecution and have no case for claiming asylum.
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