14,000 Migrants Return South Amid U.S. Crackdown, Report Finds

14,000 Migrants Return South Amid U.S. Crackdown, Report Finds
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Roughly 14,000 migrants who had set out for the United States have returned south in an unprecedented wave of reverse migration, Anadolu Agency revealed citing a joint report by Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica.

The study, conducted with UN support, found that tougher U.S. immigration policies and stricter controls in Panama’s Darién jungle reduced irregular northbound migration by 97% between January and July 2025 compared to last year. While more than 260,000 migrants made the crossing in 2024, far fewer attempted it this year.

Venezuelans made up 97% of the returnees, most heading back to Colombia. Nearly half cited the impossibility of entering the U.S. as the main reason, while another 46% feared detention and deportation.

The report also documented widespread violence along migration routes: 86.8% of migrants faced or witnessed robbery, extortion, or sexual assault.

UN officials warned the trend is unfolding amid suspended humanitarian aid, leaving migrants more vulnerable.