Panama said on Friday it will enact new measures intended to reduce the number of migrant crossings through its treacherous Darien Gap jungle region.
The announcement came as UNICEF said at least 60,000 young children, 90 percent under age 11, have already been brought through the Darien Gap in the first seven months of 2023.
The steep and often muddy pass links to Colombia, and 352,000 people have crossed the Darien Gap so far this year.Migrant children are often brought through Latin America or the Caribbean by family members, caregivers, or paid ‘coyotes.’
The record number of children are seeking asylum in safer countries than those they’ve left.Many children and young adults go alone, fleeing wars, poverty, hunger, persecution, gangs, or political instability in their home countries.
Migrant children can face an uncertain future and countless dangers, including disease, trafficking, and homelessness.
Panamanian immigration officials said Friday they will step up deportations of migrants with criminal records, and increase the amount of money someone passing a checkpoint must have from $500 to $1,000.
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