Indian Deportees Expose the Perils of the ‘Donkey Route’ to the US
Many Indian deportees, including Mandeep Singh from Amritsar, have shared harrowing accounts of their journeys to the US via the “donkey route,” an illegal path marked by dangerous terrain, physical abuse, and hunger.
Mandeep Singh, who was deported after being detained on January 27, said he had to trim his beard and endure life-threatening situations in the Panama jungles while attempting to enter the US. “We somehow managed to save ourselves from snakes, crocodiles, and other animals,” said Lovepreet Singh, another deportee, recalling similar experiences.
Despite promises of legal entry by unscrupulous agents, many migrants were funneled into the treacherous route, which led to beatings, hunger, and arrest at the US-Mexico border. The deportees described being smuggled in containers, deprived of basic needs, and subjected to extortion by sub-agents demanding more money mid-journey.
Some families, like that of Jasnoor Singh, spent millions of rupees selling land and assets to fund these risky journeys. Jasnoor was among the 112 deportees on a US military aircraft that arrived in Amritsar on February 16, marking the third batch of Indians deported this year.
Other deportees, such as Nishan Singh, described spending 16 days in jungles surviving only on water. “We were beaten up, not given food, and our phones were taken away,” he said.
The experiences of detained Sikh deportees added to the ordeal, with some claiming their turbans were taken away at detention centers. Jaswinder Singh, who returned on February 5, said, “Only after reaching Amritsar airport could I wear my turban again.”
