Thousands of Turkish citizens seeking asylum in the US are in detention

According to official data from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), while the number of Turkish citizens who entered the country 'illegally' to seek asylum has exceeded 55,000, it has been reported that the number of Turkish citizens detained after crossing the border and held in US detention facilities has also surpassed 15,000.

Data revealed that between January 2021 and August 2024, a total of 55,808 Turkish citizens were apprehended by security forces while entering the country as asylum seekers through 'illegal' means across both the Mexican and Canadian borders.

15,000 TURKS IN DETENTION

According to official data from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the number of Turkish citizens who have been detained after crossing the border 'illegally' and are being held in US detention facilities has reached 15,151. Individuals who enter the US 'illegally' or are arrested on allegations of violating immigration laws are held in immigrant detention centers, which are referred to as 'camps' by authorities but described as 'prisons' by those held inside.

After being taken into custody, Turkish asylum seekers are brought before a court to request asylum in the US. If the court accepts the asylum seeker's request and a US citizen sponsors the Turkish asylum seeker, they are released from the detention center within a period ranging from one week to 3-4 months. Some Turkish asylum seekers are deported back to Turkey after their asylum requests are denied in court.