'No food, water': Hundreds of migrants from India, Nepal, and Vietnam stuck at Brazil's airport

Hundreds of migrants from India, Nepal, and Vietnam have been stranded without visas at Brazil's Guarulhos Airport under distressing circumstances including no access to food and water. They have been sleeping on the floor as they await entry into Brazil, according to the Public Defender's Office as reported by news agency Reuters.
The migrants are confined to a restricted area where access to showers is unavailable, and their movements are restricted, making it challenging for them to obtain food and water.Moreover, they are facing the winter cold without blankets, as reported by the official.
A 39-year-old migrant from Ghana passed away two weeks ago due to unknown causes, as reported by a spokesman for the office. It remains unclear whether the individual died while being held at the airport or during transport to the hospital.
The Public Defender's Office has called for urgent improvements to the migrants' conditions while their status is being resolved as they say that their human rights are being violated, and their health is deteriorating.
In a statement, they urged authorities to adhere to Brazil's legislation, which is based on the humanitarian principle of accepting refugees and not returning them to their country of origin.
Meanwhile, the Brazil government plans to tighten entry rules on Monday, aiming to curb the influx of foreigners using Brazil as a transit point to reach the United States and Canada further complicating the situation.
Foreign travelers without a Brazilian visa who are transiting through the country to another destination will be required to proceed directly to their final destination or return to their country of origin starting Monday, according to a statement by Brazil's public security ministry on Wednesday.
The ministry reported that Brazil has witnessed a significant increase in foreign travelers, especially from Asia, who land in the country claiming to be on a layover en route to North America. These passengers request refugee status upon arrival, citing persecution and threats in their home countries.
Under the new regulations, passengers arriving in Sao Paulo without a visa will no longer be permitted to remain in Brazil, as stated by the ministry. It remains unclear whether these rules will be applicable to migrants currently at the Sao Paulo airport or only to those arriving after the implementation of the new policy.
Immigration experts have raised concerns that the proposed rules may be in conflict with the 1951 U.N. Refugee Convention, which Brazil has signed. The convention requires countries to accept individuals at risk in their home country, even if they lack proper documentation.