Many young Punjabi boys continue to risk their lives in the hope of reaching the United States through illegal routes, driven by dreams of success and the pressure to uplift their families. In Punjab, migration is often seen as a symbol of status, and many families fall into the trap of dishonest agents who promise quick visas and guaranteed jobs. To pay these agents, families frequently sell land, take heavy loans, or mortgage their homes, believing that their sons will soon earn enough to repay everything. What begins as a hopeful journey quickly turns into a nightmare.
The illegal route to the U.S., often called the “Donkey Route,” takes these boys through multiple countries in the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America. The most dangerous stretch is the Darien Gap, a dense and lawless jungle between Colombia and Panama. Many Punjabi boys describe walking for days without food, crossing rivers with strong currents, and witnessing death along the trail. They face robberies, assaults, and exploitation by criminal groups who control the jungle. Some boys are kidnapped for ransom, while others are abandoned by smugglers who treat them as disposable.
Even after surviving the jungle, the journey through Central America and Mexico brings new dangers. Smugglers often beat them, demand more money, and force them into overcrowded trucks or unsafe boats. By the time they reach the U.S.–Mexico border, they are exhausted, traumatised, and financially drained. Crossing the border is another life-threatening ordeal. Many walk through deserts with no water, hide in freezing temperatures, or attempt to swim across the Rio Grande. Those who are caught spend weeks or months in detention centres, unsure of their future.
For the few who manage to enter the United States, the struggle does not end. Life without legal status is filled with fear and exploitation. Many boys work long hours in gas stations, restaurants, farms, or construction sites for extremely low wages. They live in overcrowded apartments, avoid hospitals due to cost and fear of deportation, and carry the emotional burden of the debt their families took on. The psychological trauma of the journey—violence, hunger, loneliness, and constant fear—stays with them long after they arrive.
The suffering of these young men is a reminder that illegal migration is not a shortcut to success but a path filled with danger and lifelong consequences. Punjab urgently needs stronger action against fraudulent agents, more awareness for families, and safer, legal pathways for migration. Until the truth of these hardships is openly acknowledged, more young lives will continue to be put at risk in pursuit of a dream built on false promises.
The plight of these young people is a reminder that illegal migration is not a shortcut to success, but a path fraught with danger and lifelong consequences. Punjab urgently needs tougher action against fraudulent agents, greater awareness for families, and safe, legal pathways to migration. Unless the truth of these difficulties is openly acknowledged, more young lives will be put at risk in pursuit of dreams built on false promises.
These stories are not just stories—they are truths, truths that clash against the walls of some home in every village of Punjab. It is time to tell people that the illegal route is not a path of dreams, but of destruction. Punjab needs to know the truth. Families need to understand. Youth need to be saved. Because no dream is as big as the life of a son.