Smugglers who once thrived along major migration corridors are now struggling to make ends meet, as illegal border crossings have significantly dropped under the Trump administration’s tough immigration policies.
In the Darien Gap — a dense jungle region straddling Colombia and Panama — many locals had profited during the Biden administration from the surge of migrants traveling north. Speaking with the Associated Press, residents explained how the influx of migrants presented an opportunity: by providing boat rides across rivers, they earned far more than they could through traditional farming.
The boom, however, came to an abrupt end with the arrival of President Donald Trump in the White House. His swift implementation of stricter immigration enforcement drastically curbed the number of migrants attempting the journey.
“When Donald Trump won, everything came to a screeching halt,” said Zobeida Concepcion, a resident of Lajas Blancas, a prominent port where migrants were dropped off by boat.
Illegal crossings into the U.S. surged during Biden’s time in office, with fiscal years 2023 and 2024 marking record highs for migrant encounters, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Over 500,000 people traversed the Darien Gap in 2023 — nearly double the 250,000 from the previous year.
As migrants flowed in, so did economic opportunity. Locals who had long lived in poverty began selling food, water, clothing, and boat rides to travelers. Entire communities saw a significant financial boost.
Many families who previously relied on farming, such as growing plantains, shifted to smuggling, the AP reported. Boat operators, known as “lancheros,” could earn up to $300 per day — a stark contrast to the roughly $150 per month they had made from agriculture.
One individual, Luis Olea of Villa Caleta, Panama, abandoned his crops and bought a boat to transport migrants. He told the AP that the income he generated allowed him to upgrade his home with electricity, a television, a water pump, raised flooring, and solar panels.
But the lucrative smuggling trade vanished when migrants stopped trying to reach the U.S. border. Olea’s boat now sits unused. “Before, we lived off of the migration,” he said. “But now that’s all gone.”
Upon taking office, Trump quickly rolled out a series of executive actions and policy shifts that significantly tightened border control. His administration deployed military personnel, expanded immigration enforcement across federal agencies, and secured detention facilities abroad.
In addition to fortifying the southern border, Trump leveraged tariff threats to pressure Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum into sending 10,000 troops from Mexico’s national guard to the region. A similar tactic was used with Canada, prompting then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to increase northern border security to avoid U.S. tariffs.
The result was a historic decline in illegal crossings. In March, Border Patrol agents reported just 7,180 encounters along the U.S.-Mexico border — a dramatic drop from the monthly average of 155,000 recorded over the previous four years.
Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration has been supported by Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino, who was elected on a platform of curbing unlawful transit through Panama.
Other Panamanian residents who once earned steady income from the migration surge now find themselves without work. “I’m trying this to see if things get better, see if I can buy some food,” said Pedro Chami, a former lanchero who also left farming behind to ferry migrants. “Before, I would always have my $200 a day without fail.”
“Now, I don’t even have a cent,” he added.
