The Dangerous Risks of Illegal Immigration

 Written by: Sameera Haleemzai

In recent years, due to different causes, many Afghans immigrate to other countries. Some people, especially youths are immigrating without passport and visa. The Path of Illegal Immigration is fraught with dangers.

AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some people who are witnesses of illegal immigration.

Muhammad Nasir, a resident of Chaharasiab district, Kabul province says: “I and my some of my friends decided to immigrate to abroad. We paid some money to a human smuggler. He handed over us to another smuggler and they were seating 17 persons in one car and we have not eaten foods for three days. We reached a place where some kidnapers seized us as hostages and they wanted a big amount of money from us.”

Diljan, a resident of Paghman district, Kabul province says: “one of my uncle’s son borrowed some money and he immigrated illegally with his friends. When they wanted to cross the sea, their boat sank and after two months, we got his dead body.”

what do people think about the causes of illegal immigration?

Abdul Rasheed, a resident of Kabul city says: “Poverty and unemployment are the basic causes of illegal immigration.”

Sunbul, another resident of Kabul city says: “my brother is engaged to a girl and he doesn’t have enough money to arrange his marriage, so he illegally immigrated to a foreign country for work to earn some money.”

How could family and friends avoid illegal immigration?

Muhammad Naim, a resident of Kabul city says: “some of my friends were unemployed and they wanted to immigrate to another country. I have a small productive factory and I prevented them from illegal immigration by hiring them on the job at my factory.”

Sherzad, a resident of Nangarhar province says: “I was suffering from unemployment. I borrowed some money and wanted to immigrate to abroad but later, I refused immigration and I opened a grocery shop with the sum of money that I wanted to pay it to the smuggler and now I am happy with my job.”