As part of a new effort to enforce immigration law in Norway, in November, police stopped a total of 468 arriving foreigners, all suspected of either carrying false identification, false visas or no entry documents.  More than 80 of the new arrivals sought asylum.  This intensified effort resulted in 29 deportations during the course of two weeks.

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According to official statistics, in 2003, the number of immigrants to Israel decreased by 31%.  The decrease is due to a sharp decline in the number of Jews coming from the former Soviet Union and Argentina.  Only the number of US immigrants is increasing.  As a result of low immigration levels, the Arab Palestinian population is projected to become a majority in less than a decade.

The decline in immigration to Israel is attributed to the security situation since the beginning of the Palestinian uprising (Intifada) in September 2000 and the subsequent economic crisis.  Israeli media estimates that between 10,000 to 15,000 people have left Israel since the Intifada started.

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Singapore police say that the number of foreigners arrested while trying to enter Singapore illegally by jumping off boats and swimming to shore has more than doubled in 2003.  Many of these illegal immigrants have been promised safe entry into Singapore and have paid considerable sums of money.  Most of these foreigners come from Myanmar, one of the poorest nations in Southeast Asia.

None of the arrested people had claimed asylum and they were all charged with unlawful entry and face six months in jail, at least three strokes of the cane and a maximum fine of 6,000 Singapore dollars (3,529 US dollars).