Ireland data reveals majority of asylum seekers entered via Northern Ireland border
New statistics indicate up to 90 per cent of asylum claims in Ireland over the past three years may have originated from entries across the Northern Ireland land border, intensifying scrutiny of the Common Travel Area following recent violence in Belfast.
Irish government data indicates that up to 90 per cent of asylum seekers in Ireland may have entered the country via the Northern Ireland land border over the past three years. The figures highlight significant exploitation of the Common Travel Area (CTA), a concern that has intensified following a knife attack in Belfast linked to a Sudanese refugee who had previously claimed asylum in Ireland.
Data from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in Dublin shows that 16,600 people sought asylum at an airport or port in the past year. However, significant numbers in that cohort are believed to have travelled from Great Britain to Ireland via flight or ferry to Belfast. The UK Home Office reported apprehending more than 900 “immigration offenders” abusing the open land border in the past year, underscoring the challenges of managing an open border without physical checks.
The issue has come under renewed scrutiny after a knife attack in Belfast on Monday involving Hadi Alodid, a 30-year-old Sudanese refugee charged with attempted murder. It emerged that Alodid had travelled from Sudan to Paris and then Dublin before taking a bus to Belfast, where he claimed asylum in 2023. The attack triggered two nights of violence and led to police reinforcements being sent from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Historical context from the Irish government notes that before 2019, asylum applications were relatively small, around 5,000. This number grew significantly between 2022 and 2024, peaking at 18,500, with only 10 per cent of applicants applying at airports or ports. In 2025 and 2026 to date, 88 per cent and 90 per cent of asylum seekers, respectively, made first-time applications in person at the International Protection Office in Dublin.
In response to the escalating situation, Irish and UK ministers are coordinating closely. The Irish government confirmed it is preparing to revive a post-Brexit returns agreement, which was previously stalled due to legal challenges regarding the UK’s Rwanda policy. DFAT stated that arrangements to re-operationalise the agreement will be put in place following the UK’s redesignation as a “safe third country”.
Political reactions have been sharp, with Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister, Emma Little-Pengelly, stating there are “questions to be asked” about immigration policy and checks in Dublin. Democratic Unionist leader Gavin Robinson called for the border to be closed, while Taoiseach Micheál Martin emphasised that the CTA must be constantly managed to prevent abuse.