Human Smugglers Facilitating Migrant Returns Amid Trump Border Policies
The Trump administration’s strict immigration policies have prompted human smugglers to assist migrants in returning to Colombia instead of entering the U.S. Daily returns of 20-30 migrants demonstrate this trend. Smugglers are now providing return trips for a fee, while both Panama and Colombia adjust to the increasing southward migration. Dangers accompany this shift, highlighted by recent tragedies at sea.
In a significant shift prompted by the Trump administration’s stringent immigration policies, human smugglers are now facilitating the return of migrants to their home countries. Each day, approximately 20 to 30 migrants leave Panama’s coast for Colombia, reversing a decade-long trend of northward migration. This new trend is largely attributed to harsher deportation measures and reduced opportunities for legal residency in the United States.
Smugglers such as El Zurdo, who previously assisted migrants heading north, are now providing “return trips” for $550 per individual, covering transportation to Colombia, basic accommodations, and meals. El Zurdo remarked, “This is a first in 10 years; we knew there would be changes coming, but I never imagined this.”
The Trump administration’s intensified deportations, withdrawal of funding from non-compliant jurisdictions, and stricter asylum protocols have contributed to this reversal. Adam Isacson from the Washington Office on Latin America noted, “A small but significant number of people who’d come north expecting appointments and access to the U.S. asylum system are giving up and going south again.”
Despite the challenge in acquiring accurate figures, Panama’s government reports that 2,200 migrants, primarily adult men, have returned south this year. In stark contrast, only 408 migrants traveled north in February, a considerable decline from 37,000 in the same month the previous year.
Traditionally, smugglers utilized the perilous Darien Gap to move migrants northward; however, there is a noticeable shift towards maritime routes for southbound returns. Migrants often travel by boat to Capurganá in Colombia, circumventing the hazardous terrain altogether.
The island of Gardi Sugdub has emerged as a crucial waiting point for migrants seeking southbound transport. They pay $10 daily for accommodation, although the facilities are substandard, lacking access to clean water and electricity. Both Panama and Colombia are adjusting to this new flow of migration; Panama’s Security Minister acknowledged the informal nature of these boat transfers while advising that they are under observation to prevent human trafficking.
Colombia’s Foreign Minister expressed intentions to implement programs aimed at supporting returning migrants through employment and educational initiatives, whilst addressing the growing sentiment of xenophobia. The dangers accompanying this reverse migration were underscored in February when a boat carrying 21 migrants capsized off Panama’s coast, resulting in the tragic death of an 8-year-old child.
Ariel Ruiz of the Migration Policy Institute has estimated that between 250,000 and 270,000 migrants remain stranded in Mexico due to enforcement policies by the United States and Mexico. Many are reevaluating their circumstances. Ruiz stated, “Mostly because of the Mexican enforcement and the conditions there, people were either not willing or not wanting to wait in Mexico for a long time. Instead of trying to wait and see what happens in U.S. policy, some begin to return.”
The current migration landscape reflects a notable shift as smugglers increasingly facilitate the return of migrants to Colombia in response to stringent U.S. immigration policies. This reverse migration trend, characterized by aggressive deportation tactics and restricted asylum access, poses various challenges and dangers. Both Panama and Colombia are adapting to these changes, while initiatives to assist returning migrants are being developed against a backdrop of growing xenophobia and perilous journeys.
Original Source: www.latintimes.com
