UN Declares US-Mexico Border Deadliest Migrant Route
In a shocking revelation, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency, recently declared the U.S.-Mexico border the world’s deadliest land migrant route. The IOM documented 686 deaths and disappearances at the border last year, accounting for nearly half of the 1,457 migrant deaths in the Americas. The figures presented are “the lowest estimates available,” said Paul Dillon, a spokesperson for the IOM, pointing out the limitations on reporting all deaths.
It’s a tragic situation and a glaring indicator of the deteriorating state of border security under the Biden administration. This news adds another bleak chapter to a tenure that faces numerous criticisms on its approach to immigration. Michele Klein Solomon, IOM’s regional director for North and Central America, urged governments to take “decisive action” to prevent these tragedies. But decisive action seems absent from the administration’s current playbook.
Many conservatives argue that a lax approach to border security, often marketed under the guise of compassion, has unintended, fatal consequences. Looser policies incentivize more attempts to make the arduous journey across the border, inevitably resulting in higher fatalities. It’s basic math: increased attempts equal increased risks. According to many on the right, the humane solution is to tighten border security, thereby reducing the lure of making such a dangerous trek.
The U.S. is not the only party responsible for this crisis. The journey to the U.S.-Mexico border is fraught with perils, especially for those traversing the dangerous Darien Gap, a jungle region between Panama and Colombia. The IOM recorded 141 deaths in this area, stating that this number likely does not represent the loss of lives due to criminal gangs and hazardous conditions.
Yet, the liberal argument often sidelines these realities in favor of more open borders. Such policies only encourage the hope of successful migration but, as the UN report shows, usually deliver deadly results instead. Even Democratic-run sanctuary cities, once havens for illegal immigration, are now feeling the strain. New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) warned that the crisis could “utterly destroy his city.”
The Border Patrol’s El Paso, Texas, sector has reported that its death toll has nearly doubled from last year, signaling that the crisis is far from over. With 2023 becoming even worse, both sides of the political aisle must grapple with the human cost of inaction or misguided action.
Ultimately, these alarming numbers should serve as a wake-up call for real, effective solutions, including more robust border security measures that deter, rather than encourage, risky attempts to cross into the U.S. As the IOM clearly states, decisive action is needed. The question remains: Will the Biden administration heed this call or continue on a path that has now been internationally declared as the world’s most deadly?
