The Donkey Route is an illegal route through which people enter abroad without any valid visa or documents. This route usually passes through many countries. In Punjab, Donkey means to jump or bounce from one place to another and this is the reason why the route from India to abroad is called the Donkey Route.
During the second term of US President Donald Trump, difficulties have increased for people living illegally in America.
Hundreds of people from India have also been sent back for this reason. These people were arrested earlier. Many such people reach America through the Donkey Route. Let us know what is the Donkey Route and why it is dangerous.
What is the Donkey Route?
The Donkey Route is an illegal route through which people enter abroad without any valid visa or documents. This route usually passes through many countries. In Punjab, Donkey means to jump or bounce from one place to another, and this is the reason why the route from India to abroad is called the Donkey Route.
Through this route, people mainly enter countries like America, Canada and Britain illegally. Earlier this route was mainly for criminals, but now thousands of people are using it to fulfill their dream of going abroad.
The Donkey Route is full of dangers
The Donkey Route is not safe at all. People who adopt this route are in danger of life at every step. Many times these people fall prey to the bullets of security forces while crossing the border. Apart from this, many people also lose their lives due to severe cold, hunger, and weakness.
The biggest identity of this route is that it is dangerous. The number of people living illegally in America is said to be more than 1 crore 10 lakh. Many of these people have reached there through the Donkey Route.
This is how illegal immigrants enter America
The journey of those who adopt the Donkey Route usually starts from airports in West Asia like Dubai or Sharjah. Passengers are first taken from countries like Azerbaijan or Turkey. They reach Panama after crossing the Atlantic Ocean. After this, they enter Mexico via El Salvador. The most dangerous part of the journey begins after crossing the Atlantic.
Local agents work like an organized gang here and arrange taxis from Guatemala to Mexico. From here, the journey of 500-600 kilometers takes 12-15 hours. Travelers have to pass through many checkposts. This increases the danger a lot. Migrants travel thousands of kilometers to reach cities near the border like Tijuana and Mexcali. After reaching here, migrants look for opportunities to enter America.
A big racket is going on
A big racket is going on to take people abroad through the Donkey Route. Many travel agencies and agents are involved in this work and take lakhs of rupees from people to take them abroad. Many people have spent up to one crore rupees to reach America through the Donkey Route. Agents get people admitted to America through the border of Mexico or Canada.
Can return to their country on their own
Before being forcibly deported, migrants can voluntarily choose to go to their country at their own expense. In some cases, illegal migrants are forcibly deported to their country even without trial. After the court’s removal order, the US government sends the migrants back to their country.
Who is deported?
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the guardian of the process of forcibly sending illegal migrants to their country (deportation). According to ICE, the US can detain and deport non-citizens who violate visas, commit criminal acts and pose a threat to public safety.
Migrants who cross the border illegally or are smuggled by agents without valid documents are first detained and taken to a detention center. Migrants stay in the detention center until they are produced in the immigration court. The court sees whether the migrant wants asylum and based on the circumstances, the court orders him to be deported from the US.
Who is not deported?
Some migrants can apply for asylum and be allowed to stay in the US if they are able to convince a judge that their lives would be in danger if they returned home. However, very few asylum cases are considered. Some migrants can obtain Temporary Protected Status (TPS) based on the danger of returning home.
In most cases, migrants are sent by plane. In earlier cases, the US used chartered planes to send migrants to their country, while the Trump administration is sending migrants to their country by military transport aircraft.
However, only a few countries are designated for TPS. As of March 31, 2024, there were about 8,63,880 migrants with TPS in the US. Through Decided Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), some migrants can stop the deportation process for some time. DACA can be availed by those immigrants who have entered the US illegally along with their children.
