One of the tragic instances that demonstrate the risks of undocumented migration resulted in four members of an Indian family losing their lives when they attempted to cross over into the United States across the Canada border at the very start of the year 2022. Their story underscores growing trends in crisis fed by economic aspirations and exploited by smuggling networks.
In the year ending September 30, 2022, nearly 14,000 Indians were arrested at the Canadian border by the U.S. Border Patrol-a figure that is sharply up from previous years. The number speaks to an increasing trend of Indians who give up everything in pursuit of better opportunities abroad, with some even risking themselves.
A Family’s Dream Ends In Tragedy
Jagdish Patel, his wife Vaishaliben, and their children, Vihangi (11) and Dharmik (3), were found frozen in a snow field close to the border. Hailing from Dingucha, a small village in Gujarat, the family had been enticed by promises of a brighter future. Many in the region are motivated by economic aspirations; the couple had left behind teaching jobs in pursuit of prosperity abroad.
The family was part of a smuggling network organized by notorious smuggler Harshkumar Patel, who is infamous for being known as “Dirty Harry,” and driver Steve Shand, who is accused of aiding the smuggling operation. On that bitterly cold night, the family, along with seven other Indian migrants, attempted to cross the border on foot. Not dressed for subzero temperatures of -36°F (-38°C), the group got separated. While others survived the ordeal after being rescued, the Patel family perished in the freezing cold.
A Growing Crisis Of Desperation
This tragic story of the Patels depicts human costs of illegal immigration. Experts attribute causes like economic inequality, political repression, and the defectively messed up immigration system in the U.S. to this trend. In this manner, desperate migrants become a victim of ‘smuggling’ outfits who take off all their helpless clients with high fees and assure them of safety.
As immigration attorney Satveer Chaudhary stresses the point, “frequently these traffickers prey on vulnerable people and thus are always feeding into this vicious circle of exploitation”.
Legal Action Against The Smuggling Networks
The deaths of the Patel family have highlighted the smuggling network that let them through. Harshkumar Patel, and Steve Shand are likely to be tried for their roles in human trafficking.
The case has heightened calls for stricter measures against such operations and better awareness of the dangers faced by migrants.
This tragedy has rung deep within the global Indian diaspora. Hemant Shah, an Indian-born businessman, organized a virtual prayer service for the Patels, decrying the greed and inhumanity behind their fate. “There was no humanity,” he lamented.
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