Recently, the United States deported 104 Indian migrants who tried to enter the country illegally. The migrants were handcuffed and shackled for nearly 24 hours during their flight back to India. This deportation is a direct consequence of US President Donald Trump’s ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration, a subject he recently discussed with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to reports by AP.
The Darien Gap: Fatal Migration Corridor
One of the notable features of the migration route was the Darien Gap, infamous land between Colombia and Panama, which is used as a perilous transit for migrants traveling to the US. The Darien Gap consists of 97 km of rainforest, swamps, and mountains, and represents the only discontinuity in the Pan-American Highway from Alaska to Argentina. Known for extreme terrain, a lack of infrastructure, and an unforgiving climate, the Darien Gap is one of the most difficult and treacherous crossings in the world.
Risks of Darien Gap Crossing
Migrants have to cross perilous mountains, swamplands, quick rivers, and deadly wildlife of the Darien Gap, but the more significant danger remains in criminal groups that dominate this route. Some of the common dangers that arise from these factors include armed gangs, drug trafficking cartels, and smuggling rings that target their victims and in most cases rape or rob the migrants along their journey.
The ‘Donkey Route’: A Perilous Journey for Indian Migrants
Most Indian migrants who wish to reach the US take the so-called ‘donkey route,’ which takes them through Central American countries such as Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Guatemala, where they can easily get visas. They then proceed through Mexico before attempting to cross into the US. This route has become very popular due to tight visa regulations to fly directly into the US. Most migrants often use coyotes, who charge thousands of dollars for a very dangerous journey which promises safe passage but leaves people abandoned or even exploited.
Darien Gap Migration Boom
The number of migrants crossing the Darien Gap has exponentially increased in the past few years. In 2023, over 520,000 migrants crossed the gap, more than double the number from the previous year. By 2024, over 300,000 had already made the journey, though the numbers showed a slight decline due to heightened enforcement efforts. A decade ago, only a few thousand people attempted the crossing annually. Today, the Darien Gap has become a high-risk migration highway, where people from Venezuela, Haiti, Ecuador, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India attempt the dangerous journey.
Humanitarian Crisis in the Darien Gap
The Darien Gap has evolved into a human rights crisis in a massive form. Between 2015 and 2022, at least 312 cases of migrant death or disappearance had been reported while another 229 were reported from 2021 to 2023. For 2023 alone, 676 victims of sexual assault received treatment from MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières) while as early as January 2024, 233 cases were registered. Many have been left at overcrowded shelters that lack simple amenities such as food, water, and medicine.
The rising number of migrants crossing the Darien Gap has placed immense pressure on local communities and the environment. The indigenous villages along the route have been swamped by the sheer number of people, and the fragile ecosystem of the jungle has been battered by deforestation and pollution. Additionally, human trafficking and cartel activities have been widespread in the area, with one of Colombia’s most powerful drug cartels, the Gulf Clan, reportedly receiving an estimated $57 million in revenue from migrant crossings in 2023 alone.