Panama City, Panama – Newly elected President José Raúl Mulino has made a bold promise to close off the dangerous Darién Gap, a notorious route used by thousands of migrants heading towards the United States each year. Mulino announced plans to collaborate with the US in repatriating migrants who enter Panama illegally, signaling a significant shift in immigration policy in the region.
During his inaugural address, Mulino emphasized the urgent need for international assistance to address the escalating humanitarian and environmental crisis caused by the influx of migrants passing through the treacherous Darién Gap. He highlighted the debilitating economic and social costs associated with illegal immigration, stressing the detrimental impact on Panama’s resources and the growing influence of criminal organizations.
In a strategic move, Mulino’s foreign minister promptly signed a memorandum of understanding with the US government to effectively halt the flow of illegal immigrants through the Darién Gap. The agreement includes provisions for the US to cover the expenses of repatriating migrants found to have entered Panama unlawfully, marking a significant step towards enhancing border security and immigration enforcement efforts in the region.
The collaborative efforts aim to stem the tide of migrants being smuggled through the perilous Darién Gap, with a focus on deterring irregular migration and disrupting criminal smuggling networks exploiting vulnerable individuals seeking a better life in the US. By bolstering Panama’s immigration enforcement capacity through training and support from US homeland security teams on the ground, the agreement seeks to enhance the country’s ability to identify and remove migrants under existing immigration laws.
The Darién Gap has become a major transit route for migrants from various countries, including Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, and China, all hoping to make the arduous journey to the US. With over 190,000 individuals crossing the Darién Gap in 2024 alone, the region has become a focal point for addressing escalating immigration challenges and border security concerns.
The Biden administration continues to grapple with immigration and border security issues, with efforts to control undocumented crossings at the southern border yielding mixed results. The recent data showing a decline in unauthorized border crossings to a three-year low presents a significant development in the administration’s efforts to address immigration concerns amidst ongoing political scrutiny.