❓WHAT HAPPENED: A United Nations (UN) report has revealed that migration from Venezuela towards the U.S. is down around 97 percent, with over 14,000 migrants reversing course and abandoning their plans to cross into the United States mid-journey, citing the Trump administration’s strict border enforcement policies.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Migrants primarily from Venezuela, along with the governments of Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica, supported by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Migration through Central America and the Darién Gap peaked under former President Joe Biden in 2023, with a significant decline reported in early 2025 as U.S. border policies tightened under Trump.
💬KEY QUOTE: “It’s time to go back,” said one migrant quoted in the report.
🎯IMPACT: Migration toward the U.S. has slowed dramatically, with July 2025 recording the lowest monthly apprehensions in U.S. Border Patrol history.
A United Nations (UN) report has confirmed a dramatic shift in migration trends, with migration towards the U.S. from Venezuela down almost 100 percent. Over 14,000 migrants have abandoned their journeys north through Central America in what has been dubbed “reverse flow” migration. The transformation comes after President Donald J. Trump reinstated strict border enforcement policies, resulting in record-low illegal crossings.
The report, compiled by the governments of Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica with support from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, shows that migration from Venezuela toward the U.S. has dropped by a staggering 97 percent. Migrants cited tougher U.S. policies (46 percent) and being unable to cross the border (49 percent) as their main reasons for turning back. Others mentioned running out of money (34 percent) or fear of detention and deportation (17 percent).
“It’s time to go back—the American dream wasn’t like this,” complained one migrant quoted in the report.
“The world is hearing our message that America’s borders are closed to lawbreakers,” commented Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, pointing to a near halt in crossings through Panama’s treacherous Darién Gap. In June, just 10 migrants reportedly made the journey, down from over 500,000 in 2023.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data for May 2025 also show a 93 percent decrease in illegal crossings compared to the same month last year. Only 8,725 encounters were recorded, with zero migrants paroled into the U.S., compared to over 62,000 releases in May 2024. Border Czar Tom Homan has previously highlighted that releases have dropped by 99.99 percent compared to the Biden era.
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