Migration: U-turn in Latin America

An unprecedented change is taking place: The number of irregular border crossings between Mexico and the United States fell by 92 percent in June compared to the previous year. According to U.S. data, only 6,070 people were apprehended at the southwest border—the lowest number in 25 years.

In the Darién Gap, a roughly 100-km-wide strip of land largely covered by rainforest on the border region between Panama and Colombia, 99.7 percent fewer border crossings were recorded in April compared to the same month last year, according to Panamanian President José Raúl Mul. The Darién Gap is actually a key—and extremely dangerous—route for migrants heading north. Now, Panamanian authorities have even closed the largest migrant reception center there.

Honduras is also experiencing a drastic decline in northward migration. According to a report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), only 14,270 people headed north between January and March 2025, compared to 133,518 in the same period last year.

US isolation policy reverses migration flows

This decline marks a new chapter in the region's migration history. It is driven by the restrictive and controversial migration policy of the United States under President Donald Trump : He is committed to expanding the border wall along the southern border with Mexico, declaring a national emergency, and deploying troops to secure the border. He has also tightened asylum rules and initiated mass deportations , some of which may even affect people with permanent residency status or U.S. citizenship .

For example, those who already live in the United States and lack legal residency are encouraged by the United States to voluntarily return to their home countries through so-called "self-deportation programs." If the migrants volunteer, the United States pays them $1,000 and covers their travel expenses.

"Many are stuck"

Maureen Meyer, director of the Latin American Affairs program at the Washington-based human rights organization WOLA, describes the mood among migrants in an interview with DW: "There is a climate of fear." Many are now stuck in Mexico, with no prospect of continuing their journey or returning.

Often, those who have fled state repression, poverty, and violence in their home countries have completed an exhausting and life-threatening journey that they do not want to undertake again – and their financial resources have been exhausted. While some migrants persevere in Mexico, others embark on the return journey despite all adversities.

Amy Pope, director of the IOM, warns in an interview with DW about the social and economic consequences of the "US offensive against irregular migration" in Latin America.

Exposed to human trafficking and sexual violence again

In Colombia, for example, the growth of reverse migration from north to south is already noticeable; according to official figures, around 9,000 migrants have returned since the beginning of the year.

But getting there isn't easy: As on the outward journey, the Darién Gap presents a difficult obstacle on the return journey. The alternative—continuing the journey by boat across the Caribbean—is also risky and expensive. Having run out of funds, dozens of migrants are waiting in Miramar, a small coastal village on Panama's Caribbean coast, to cross to Colombia. Most of them are Venezuelans.

According to Panamanian authorities, more than 12,700 migrants—94 percent of them Venezuelans—have been traveling from north to south since November 2024. In Panama , some migrants, such as Jesús Alfredo Aristigueta, a 32-year-old Venezuelan, report kidnappings in Mexico and extortion on their return journey. They complain that the assistance from Venezuelan authorities, which previously facilitated passage north, has disappeared.

Returnees are exposed to human trafficking and sexual violence again on their return journey—perhaps even more so than before, given reduced government presence, the closure of reception centers, etc. And even if they manage to make the return journey, further problems often await in their home countries.

Returnees need help getting started

Colombia, Panama, Honduras, Venezuela , and the Dominican Republic are at the center of this crisis. Meyer warns: "No country in the region is prepared for so many returnees." A lack of resources, violence in the regions of origin, and a lack of or inadequate reintegration programs are making the situation even more difficult.

However, some governments, such as Venezuela's, have reactivated return programs. The program, "Great Mission Return," facilitated the return of more than 5,600 Venezuelans deported from the United States between January and May. It provides on-site medical care and supports the returnees in reintegrating into the labor market.

Overall, however, Meyer is concerned that in Latin America "as the number of returnees increases, tensions also increase and violence against vulnerable population groups escalates."

Consequences also for the USA

The US economy is also facing a dilemma due to the isolation policy: In important sectors such as agriculture and construction, there is a shortage of workers, often provided by immigrants without legal status. Even those who are still there are sometimes avoiding their jobs for fear of deportation.

IOM Director Pope laments that there are "inadequate legal pathways for regular migration." "Migration never stops. People will always move." The question remains how far the Trump administration will push its drastic anti-immigration policies—with consequences for the entire continent.