Economic bust follows drop in migration through Darien Gap: AP

People who live near the Darien Gap say business was booming when President Biden was in office

And now that migration to the United States under President Trump has dwindled

so has the economy they've become dependent on, the Associated Press reports

The Darien Gap is a dangerous stretch of dense jungle and swamp located on the border between

Panama and Colombia. In recent years, it's become a major route for migrants from South America

the Caribbean, Africa and Asia trying to reach the U.S. Despite the dangers

thousands of migrants attempt to cross the Darien Gap each month in search of better opportunities

It's one of the most treacherous parts of their journey north. In 2021, migration to the U.S. surged after President Biden rescinded the stay in Mexico

policy and people in their home countries fled gang violence, poverty and political instability

The New York Times conducted an ysis in December 2024, which revealed between 2021 and 2023, an average of 2.4 million migrants per year entered the U.S., mostly through the southern border

In 2023, a record of 520,000 migrants crossed the Darien Gap, Reuters reported back in January of 2024

Those migrants brought an economic boom to historically underdeveloped areas, as the migrants would pay for boat rides clothing and meals during the long sometimes deadly treks Once President Trump took office in January and migrant crossings at the U southern border came to a halt

so did the money to those helping migrants through the Darien Gap, and now those people are scrambling for alternatives to bring the economy back

One 56-year-old former boat pilot who helped transport migrants across the river

spoke to AP reporters and said he gave up on his crops

Now he sits outside his home carving wooden pans. He hopes to try his luck sifting through river sand for flecks of gold

Before, I would always have my $200 a day without fail. Now, I don't even have a cent, he told the AP

Another Panamanian family says they made great money during the migration, selling water, soda, and snacks to migrants

It afforded them to pay for a new bed, washing machine and refrigerator

The family told the AP they're not sure what they're going to do next, but they do have some savings

When another government enters, you never know what opportunities there will be, the family tells the AP

At the peak of the migration, Panamanian officials told the AP that about 2,500 to 3,000 people were crossing the Darien Gap each day

Now that number is down significantly to about 10 a week. For Straight Arrow News, I'm Lauren Keenan

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