The Journey To New York City: Global Migration Routes and Domestic Policy

August 22, 2024

By ELNOR Volunteer

Since the spring of 2022, more than 150,100 people have immigrated to New York (Meko, 2023). Many of these people are from Latin America, the Caribbean, and West Africa. One of the main reasons for the surge is Venezuelan migration: seven million Venezuelans have left their home country since 2015, and have accounted for 40% of migration to New York City (Meko, 2023). Under President Nicolás Maduro’s regime, the economic conditions in Venezuela have collapsed, causing hyperinflation, starvation, and rampant crime rates. This has led to dangerous living conditions, extreme poverty, malnutrition, and the curtailment of public services. Simultaneously, poverty and poor quality of life has forced Ecuadorian and Colombian migration as well. This mass influx of migration to New York City has exposed the endless issues within the court system – according to Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) there are over 150,000 backlogged cases of those seeking asylum (Trac.syr.edu). New York City currently has a shortage of immigration attorneys, paralegals, and translators, which has been a key reason for these backlogs.

Although the New York City courts pose a great challenge for those seeking asylum, it only marks one of the numerous adversities people migrating face on their journey. The Pan-American highway, which allows travel from the southern tip of Chile to the Alaskan Tundra, is broken in a 60 mile stretch in Panama, known as the Darien Gap (McKinnon, 2024). Despite lacking any man-made roads, the Darien Gap has recently served as an important stretch in one of the most prominent routes for global human migration. Over the past decade, the majority of people crossing the Darien Gap were from Haiti, Ecuador, and Cuba, yet since 2022, Venezuelans have accounted for over half of the crossings (McKinnon, 2024). The Darien Gap, which covers 10,000 square miles of forest in northern Colombia and southern Panama, makes an already grueling journey even more treacherous. The lack of infrastructure and cell towers create severe problems in reporting casualties and accessing media coverage of the region. Subsequently, there are few humanitarian or government organizations that provide aid or support to people crossing the region.

The route possesses many dangers, such as frequent flash flooding and strong river currents. Most enter the Darien Gap with rain boots and a tent or tarp, but in many cases run out of food and water supplies after 1-2 days (Pappier, 2023). Since the journey spans anywhere from 4-10 days, food and water is often scarce for the latter half of the journey. Streams are typically relied on for a source of water, but these polluted water sources often lead to disease and dehydration. Travelers carry everything they have, and many are forced to carry younger children, making the stretch even more difficult. In 2023, over 500,000 people crossed the Darien Gap, 21% being children (Isacson, 2024). According to Human Rights Watch, between 2021 and April 2023, there have been over 120 reported deaths, which is most likely a fraction of all casualties due to the limited coverage (Pappier, 2023).

Yet, the geographic challenges of this region are only part of the issue. Many of those traveling through the Darien Gap pay fares to the Gulf Clan, a criminal organization who regulate any crossings through the region (Pappier, 2023). Each route has a different price tag, and the fares can span from hundreds to thousands of US dollars depending on safety and terrain . This means that the populations with the fewest resources, who are often Haitian, Venezuelan, and West African, face the most difficult journeys (Pappier, 2023). The criminal organizations that control the region are also responsible for the human trafficking and exploitation that occur. Sexual violence is a severe issue, and in 2023 alone, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) teams reported treating 397 women and girls for rape. MSF also estimates that there is one incident of sexual violence every three hours, with many of the victims being early adolescents. Additionally, some of these cases of sexual violence occur publically, and those who try to intervene and stop the armed criminals are often killed.

After finishing the journey through the Darien Gap, those who are migrating still face a perilous journey to Mexico. The terrain is easier to traverse but weather conditions are harsh and there are several difficulties with transportation. Usually people can take buses or hitchhike for parts of the journey, but frequently people are forced to travel by foot. The trip from Panama to the border of Texas spans around 3,000 miles, and can last for several months (Taladrid, 2023). The same groups that cross the Darien Gap together can have different experiences for this leg of the journey, with wealth and circumstance being the main determinants. Many rely on the hospitality of strangers providing temporary shelter which is not always promising in places where local residents live in equally dire circumstances.

Crossing the border into the U.S is equally unpredictable. No option is secure because almost all of the routes are heavily supervised by cartel-connected guides (Taladrid, 2023). There are several methods of crossing into the United States: acquiring a Border Crossing Card and violating the stay period, illegally crossing by foot, traveling through the Gulf of Mexico, or boarding La Bestia. La Bestia (“The Beast” in English) is a freight train that travels from southern Mexico across the U.S. border, and is one of the main methods for migration into the country. The route possesses many dangers, such as the risk of riders falling off the top of the train, with kidnappings also occurring in many of the Mexican states this route passes through.

Yet, after months of uncertainty and fatigue, there is an equally dire predicament in New York City. From both human rights and legal viewpoints, the lack of resources in the city has become an increasingly prevalent issue. As of March 10th, 2024, there are over 64,000 people seeking asylum under the city’s protection, with the majority in city-funded shelters and humanitarian relief centers (City of New York, 2023). The vast majority are families with children.

The Adams Administration has issued several policy changes to accommodate the mass influx of people seeking asylum. New York City, under former Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order 170, is a sanctuary city, meaning that anyone seeking asylum will be accommodated (Tedisco, n.d.) Yet, the Adams’ Administration has made several efforts to subvert this status. One of the initial policies Adams enacted in July of 2023 was shortening the shelter stay from an indefinite period of time to only sixty days, promising intermittent checkpoints over this period to inform asylum seekers of their potential next steps to find housing (City of New York, 2023). Yet, amidst the surge in migration, the housing crisis in New York City has also remained a pervasive issue, and often those seeking asylum are forced to reapply for shelter at a different location. The Adams’ Administration also claimed that this change in policy would be coupled by intensified efforts to reduce the number of backlogged cases. Yet, this has not happened yet, and there have been minimal efforts to ameliorate the court efficiency. While the city’s legislature has turned increasingly anti-immigration, public sentiment has also become influenced by xenophobia. This was largely driven by Eric Adams, who in September of 2023 said that people migrating, “will destroy this city.” The Adams Administration has been heavily criticized by much of their rhetoric, which has been seen as racist and derogatory (Fitzsimmons, 2023).

TRAC: Immigration Court Asylum Backlog Statistics

Later in October of 2023, the shelter stay period was cut in half to 30 days, providing increased stress and unpredictability for people seeking asylum (City of New York, 2023). Furthermore, the form to apply for asylum consists of a twelve-page document in English, and consequently many fail to submit their application on time; both language barriers and the sheer length of the form cause many to fall victim to being undocumented.

Eligibility for work documents is also a separate process. Those who apply for asylum have to wait 150 days to apply for temporary employment authorization (Meko, 2023). This period can be very difficult, especially when shelter stay times often only represent a fraction of the time. Promisingly, the Biden Administration announced that they would grant work permits (Temporary Protected Status) to undocumented Venezuelan people in the country, and 2000 people in New York City have been able to gain employment documentation this way.

Hope is not lost. There are many organizations, such as the Immigration Coalition and the International Rescue Committee (IRC), who are taking steps to aid asylum seekers in finding legal work and permanent housing. There has also been a rise in local organizations dedicated to the rights of asylum seekers, such as education groups like Project Rousseau and those providing clothes and supplies like Team TLC. Many NGOs, including ELNOR, are providing English language classes and professional development resources to newcomers. Community organizers and local religious leaders have also played an important role with providing shelter and help with casework. While the future is uncertain with a continual increase in backlogged and underfunded shelters, there is hope– through increasing advocacy and awareness of these issues– for better housing infrastructure, and eventually a more efficient and equitable legal process. It is vital that city legislators, community organizers, local groups, and members of the city see their responsibility and use their influence to devote resources and aid to our new New Yorkers.

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