SCMP: Mar 2024

As more illegal immigrants enter Hong Kong, spotlight shines again on asylum seekers: do they have valid refugee claims?

• Asylum seekers from as far away as Pakistan and East Africa head to mainland China, where they cross illegally into Hong Kong, sometimes in treacherous conditions
• Critics question validity of claims and efficiency of processes, with about 14,700 asylum seekers waiting to hear from city’s unified screening mechanism or appeal system