Migrant traffic through the Darien Gap has slowed to a near standstill as the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration continues. Panama’s migration agency reported just 10 migrants crossed the treacherous jungle route connecting Colombia and Panama in June, a sharp contrast to the tens of thousands seen monthly under the Biden administration, reports Axios.
The Biden-era high point was in February 2024, when 37,166 migrants made the crossing, according to data from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The Trump administration attributes the steep decline to renewed enforcement measures and a ramped-up deportation effort. “In Panama’s Darien Gap, migrants are turning BACK before they even reach our border, only 10 migrants crossed in June,” said Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “The world is hearing our message that America’s borders are closed to lawbreakers,” she added.
US Customs and Border Protection figures also show a steady drop in southern border crossings since President Trump returned to office. In June 2022, agents encountered 192,000 migrants at the US-Mexico border. That number dropped to 99,000 in June 2023, and then to 83,000 in June 2024. Last month, only about 6,000 illegal migrants were apprehended, and none were released into the country, according to border czar Tom Homan.
Panama has also taken independent steps to curb the flow. President José Raúl Mulino, who took office earlier this year, has vowed to shut down the Darien route entirely. “Effectively, the border with Darien is closed,” Mulino said in May. His administration reported a 40% drop in crossings through the region for the year so far.
The Darien Gap has long been one of the most dangerous and heavily trafficked corridors for US-bound migrants. In 2023, over 530,000 migrants were guided through the jungle by smugglers. 2 years prior, Panamanian officials were tracking an average of 16,400 migrants crossing the region every week.
Now, with tougher US immigration enforcement and stronger border cooperation from Panama, the once-busy route has nearly emptied.
