Key Takeaways
- On February 5, 2025, 104 Indians, including 19 women and 13 minors, were deported from the U.S. to India.
- The Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned 11 deportees on March 6, 2025, to investigate agents behind illegal ‘dunki route’ migrations.
- Agents exploiting the dunki route charge Rs. 60–75 lakh per person, with over 4,000 suspect money transfers identified from 2021–2024.
The repercussions of illegal immigration networks have once again come under scrutiny following a wave of deportations and investigations centering around Indian nationals and the mysterious ‘dunki route.’ On March 6, 2025, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in India summoned eleven recently deported Indians as part of a deeper probe into the agents enabling these risky and unlawful migrations. This comes after a significant deportation flight on February 5, 2025, when 104 Indian nationals, including women and children, were returned from the United States to Amritsar, marking a sharp escalation in efforts to combat illegal immigration.
What Is the ‘Dunki Route’?
The ‘dunki route,’ a term originating from a Punjabi idiom meaning “to leap or hop places,” is a clandestine path migrants use to reach destinations like the United States. Also known as donkey flights, this route involves moving through small, covert stops across many countries. According to VisaVerge.com, migrants take this route with the help of shady agents who charge exorbitant fees and coordinate complex, illegal border crossings.
Typically, individuals begin with a tourist visa to a Schengen country in Europe. From there, they venture into other nations—often the United Kingdom or eventually the United States—with falsified papers or by hiding inside vehicles. For Indians heading to the United States, this route can also involve treacherous crossings through Central and South America before reaching the U.S.-Mexico border.
Deportation Flight Details
The deportation on February 5, 2025, involved 104 Indians, including 33 from Haryana, another 33 from Gujarat, 30 from Punjab, and several others from Chandigarh, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh. Among these individuals were 19 women and 13 minors. A U.S. military aircraft brought them back to India, marking one of the first deportation flights under the Trump administration’s renewed focus on combating illegal migration. These events signify a shift in strategy to crack down on migrants entering via high-risk pathways like the dunki route.
For those deported, the journey often starts with promises of a better life, but most end up taken advantage of, financially and emotionally. Many deportees shared distressing stories of journeys involving days of walking, delays at agent-designated meeting points, or even life-threatening moments like nearly drowning during border crossings. Despite spending millions of rupees, many return only to recount tales of despair and deception.
The ED’s Crackdown
In reaction to these deportations, India’s Enforcement Directorate has started an aggressive investigation to locate and dismantle the illegal immigration network enabling these clandestine crossings. On March 5, 2025, the ED summoned eleven deportees, seeking vital information that could help identify and prosecute the masterminds—unscrupulous travel agents and human traffickers behind this growing operation.
Moreover, as part of its probe, the ED unearthed a web of suspicious financial transactions linked to illegal migrations facilitated through the dunki route. Between 2021 and 2024, over 4,000 suspect money transfers were linked to Indians attempting similar border crossings. A financial services firm, EbixCash, reportedly played a key role in enabling these transactions, many of which were disguised as payments for foreign study programs or even fixed deposits meant to unlock overdraft funding.
In some cases, agents posed as educational facilitators, helping migrants secure fake college admissions in Canada. Once Canadian visas were approved, these individuals would arrive at educational institutions but never attend classes. Onward routes would then guide them into the United States through land crossings coordinated by Canadian-based agents. These schemes were not just financially exploitative; they also jeopardized the safety and legality of the migrants involved.
Financial Toll of the Dunki Route
Behind the individuals risking everything to migrate through the dunki route lies a significant financial burden that feeds this illegal industry. Agents often charge as much as Rs. 60 to 75 lakh for a single passenger. For a couple, the cost can range between Rs. 1 to 1.25 crore, and this number skyrockets to Rs. 1.75 crore for families with children.
A variety of banking tricks are employed to ensure the money trail stays hidden. Potential immigrants first open international accounts, and money meant for fake purposes, like educational fees or legal consultations, is transferred abroad. From there, funds are either withdrawn by collaborating agents or converted into transactions camouflaged as legitimate operations.
For many families, these costs represent a lifetime of savings, loans, and debt. Illegal migration is thus not just a gamble on safety but one that leaves financial scars even if individuals manage to enter their destination countries successfully.
Increasing Observance of Indian Migrants at U.S. Borders
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) reported a substantial rise in Indian nationals attempting unauthorized entries—so much so that they are now the fifth-largest nationality among migrants crossing into the U.S. from Mexico. Between October 2022 and September 2023 alone, more than 97,000 Indian migrants were intercepted. Shockingly, over 41,770 of these attempts were at the Mexico-U.S. border, while 30,000 more took place at the less-talked-about Canada-U.S. border.
This trend demonstrates how the dunki route often facilitates multilayered exploitation. Migrants, unaware of the conditions they will face, agree to steep terms because of agents’ false assurances of a guaranteed entry. Unfortunately, many end up stranded or injured with nothing to show for their hardships.
The Physical and Emotional Cost of Illegal Immigration
For migrants, the dunki route is far more than a monetary gamble—it’s also a life-threatening journey. Some describe walking through thick forests in Central America, riding in overcrowded boats for hours, or facing extreme climates with little access to water or food. The physical toll, combined with the constant intimidation from agents, leaves many migrants traumatized long after their journeys are halted.
Even for those who make it to their destinations, life is not always as promised. Many migrants find themselves caught in legal limbo, living in hiding, or working in exploitative conditions just to repay debts to the agents who brought them there.
India’s International Response
Taking note of the growing number of deportees from the U.S., India’s Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar appealed to American officials on February 6, 2025, to ensure humane treatment for deported individuals. He also used the moment to underline the critical need to target what he called the “migrant industry”—referring to networks profiting from the trafficking of people.
For law enforcement in India, the focus seems clear: identifying and dismantling travel service firms and agents that organize illegal crossings. Information from the recent deportees may prove vital in building strong cases and applying necessary legal action against these networks.
Looking Ahead
There is little doubt that this is merely the beginning of a broader crackdown on the dunki route network. The ED’s summonses and financial investigations signal a determined effort to expose the intricate systems supporting millions of rupees in illegal migration services. This probe could expand into tougher actions, including freezing implicated bank accounts, arresting agents, or imposing stricter licensing requirements on travel facilitators within India.
From the U.S. perspective, officials remain staunch about holding back the tide of illegal migration. According to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the current strategy of carrying out deportation flights is yielding results and may see an increase in frequency.
The Bigger Picture
In many ways, the dunki route is simply a symptom of larger international issues. Poverty, lack of opportunity, and the promise of a better life drive thousands of people into the arms of exploitative traffickers. While enforcement measures help reduce migration numbers and dismantle illegal operations, more effort is needed globally to address these root causes.
India and the United States, in particular, may benefit from greater cooperation aimed not just at deportations but also at creating channels for safe, transparent migration options. As it stands, the high costs and risks involved mean even more people are likely to fall victim to illegal networks.
Conclusion
Both deportation flights and subsequent government actions demonstrate the complexities of the dunki route phenomenon. While the Indian Enforcement Directorate fears that migration agents continue enabling illegal crossings, American authorities warn that ongoing deportation operations will persist until border security improves. For now, as investigations unfold and more deportees testify against agents, the world watches closely to see how both nations adapt their strategies to curb these illegal practices. If anything, this situation highlights an urgent need to protect migrants from harm while holding exploitative traffickers responsible. More developments are undoubtedly on the way.
Learn Today
Dunki Route → A clandestine migration path involving covert stops and illegal crossings to reach destinations like the United States.
Enforcement Directorate (ED) → Indian government agency investigating financial crimes, including those linked to illegal immigration networks.
Deportation Flight → Government-chartered aircraft used to return individuals who entered a country illegally back to their home countries.
Human Traffickers → Individuals or groups that exploit migrants by facilitating illegal travel, often charging high fees and risking lives.
Schengen Country → European Union nations allowing visa-free movement across borders under the Schengen Agreement, often part of illegal migration routes.
This Article in a Nutshell
The ‘dunki route’ exposes a dark reality: promises of better lives lead migrants into perilous journeys, debt, and exploitation. Recent deportations highlight this illegal network, costing families fortunes and risking their safety. Cracking such systems requires international cooperation, addressing root causes like poverty while dismantling traffickers profiting from desperation. Change is critical.
— By VisaVerge.com
Read more:
• US Work Changes Leave Many Indians Out of H-1B Visa Race
• Deported Indians Stranded in Costa Rica, Labeled ‘Terrorists,’ Told to Pay for Flights
• India’s Economic Divide: Why Most Indians Have Little to Spend
• Trump Defends Deporting 335 Indians, Calls Them ‘Cheaters and Liars’
• Canada’s New Rules Allow Study, Work Visa Cancellations, Impacting Many Indians
