More than 600 Asian migrants, including Indians, are stranded at Brazil’s airport for weeks

666 Asian migrants have been stranded in dangerous conditions at Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos airport for the past several days trying to enter Brazil. These Asian migrants include Indians, Nepalese and Vietnamese people who are forced to sleep on the floor.

According to a report by news agency Reuters, these migrants are waiting for permission at the Guarulhos Sao Paulo International Airport to enter Brazil without a visa.

A spokesperson for the Public Defender’s Office was quoted as saying that the migrants are living in a restricted area where there is no food or water. The official further said that even children do not get blankets.

The agency urged authorities to follow Brazilian law, based on the humanitarian principle of accepting refugees and not returning them to their country of origin, and to immediately improve the conditions of migrants.

‘The health of migrants is deteriorating’

The official was further quoted as saying that the health of migrants at the airport was deteriorating, with a migrant from Ghana dying two weeks ago. However, it is not clear whether the migrant died while being detained at the airport or while being taken to hospital.

Brazil will begin banning the entry of some Asians seeking asylum in the country in an attempt to migrate to the US and Canada starting Monday, The Associated Press reports, in a move to curb the flow of foreigners who use Brazil as a stopover to get to the US and Canada.

‘Migrants stay in Brazil’

According to the report, this move will affect those Asian migrants who need visas to stay in Brazil. At Sao Paulo’s international airport, migrants book tickets to other places, but instead of travelling, they stay in Brazil to seek asylum.

Jean Uema, the head of Brazil’s refugee committee, told Reuters that the rules would apply specifically to Sao Paulo airport and would not change Brazil’s policy on asylum seekers. However, it is unclear whether migrants who are already at Sao Paulo airport will be affected by the rules or whether they will only apply to those who arrive in Brazil after the rules come into force.