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Panama’s notorious Darien Gap, once a treacherous corridor for tens of thousands of U.S.-bound migrants, including dangerous criminals, is now virtually deserted amid President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown and Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino’s vow to shutter the deadly route.
Migrant crossings in the remote 2,600-mile jungle trek connecting Colombia to Panama – which officials described as “notorious for exposing migrants, including children and the most vulnerable, to sexual abuse, trafficking, and exploitation” – have plummeted to just 10 in June, according to figures released by both the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Panama’s National Migration Service.
The new figures mark a staggering 99.98% drop from the route’s peak under the Biden administration in August 2023, when more than 82,000 migrants surged through the gap in a single month, according to the DHS.
The sharp decline follows months of coordinated enforcement measures, including Trump’s mass deportation campaign and Mulino’s push to seal off the passage with increased immigration patrols.
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Migrants take boats in the Darien province of Panama on Oct. 5, 2023, after walking across the Darien Gap from Colombia. (Arnulfo Franco/AP)
Officials say the joint effort is deterring migrants before they even begin the perilous journey.
“In Panama’s Darien Gap, migrants are now turning BACK before they even reach our border— only 10 migrants crossed in June,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement Thursday.
“This is more than a 99.98% drop from the Biden high when 82,000 illegal aliens crossed in a single month. The world is hearing our message that America’s borders are closed to lawbreakers. Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Noem, we have the most secure border in American history.”
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FILE – Migrants, mostly Venezuelans, cross a river through the Darien Gap from Colombia into Panama, hoping to reach the U.S., on Oct. 15, 2022. (Fernando Vergara/AP)
The White House emphasized that under Trump’s immigration policies, the U.S. Border Patrol has not released a single illegal migrant into the country in recent months.
“While immigration ‘experts’ and the mainstream media speculate over why fewer migrants are trying to illegally enter the United States, the real reason is evident to anyone paying attention, including the migrants themselves: President Trump,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement Friday to Fox News Digital. “Word of the United States’ secure border has spread so far around the world, that migrants aren’t even willing to make the dangerous journey to get here because they know they’ll be turned away. In recent months, Border Patrol has released zero illegal aliens into the United States. That’s a stat known all the way from here to the Darien Gap.”
McLaughlin added that the administration remains focused on removing those already in the country unlawfully.
“President Trump and Secretary Noem have been clear: If you come to our country illegally, we will find you, arrest you, and deport you. That’s a promise,” McLaughlin said in a statement Friday to Fox News Digital.
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Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino, center, looks on during a meeting in Panama City on April 9, 2025. (FRANCO BRANA/AFP)
The DHS also issued a warning to undocumented immigrants currently residing inside the U.S., encouraging them to voluntarily depart through the CBP Home App, a platform that offers cash incentives to self-deport.
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“With the most secure border in American history, DHS is focused on deporting those who break our nation’s laws,” DHS said on Thursday. “If you are here illegally, use the CBP Home App to take control of your departure and receive financial support to return home. Illegal aliens who use the CBP Home App to self-deport also receive cost-free travel and a $1,000 exit bonus, paid after their return is confirmed through the app.”