17,000 Uzbek citizens are currently seeking asylum in the United States

17,000 Uzbek citizens are currently seeking asylum in the United States, as reported by the media.

In 2023, over 50,000 individuals from Central Asian nations crossed the US border illegally, according to a report from the "Daily Mail," citing American Senator Steve Daines.

Of the 40,000 Central Asian asylum seekers, 17,000 are from Uzbekistan, 7,000 from Kyrgyzstan, 3,000 from Tajikistan, 2,700 from Kazakhstan, and 2,000 from Turkmenistan.

Against the backdrop of the migrant crisis at the US border, Senator Steve Daines has cautioned that the influx of terrorists entering the country through the southern border is increasing. He voiced concern over potential terrorist threats, suggesting that immigrants might be affiliated with terrorist cells.

In August 2023, the FBI investigated a group of Uzbek asylum seekers in the United States after discovering their smuggler's ties to ISIS. Since October, local media reports indicate that at least 50 individuals on the FBI's terrorist watch list have been apprehended while attempting to cross the US border.

In November of last year, the US Embassy in Uzbekistan issued a warning to Uzbeks attempting to illegally cross the US border, particularly via Mexico, stating that they would be detained until their immigration cases are resolved. On December 18, according to "Fox News," a record-breaking number of over 12,600 individuals attempted to cross the US-Mexico border in a single day.