Indian family freezes to death while attempting to cross the US-Canada border

An Indian family of four, including a couple and their two young children, froze to death in January 2022 while attempting to cross the US-Canada border. The tragedy occurred as they navigated freezing temperatures, dropping as low as minus 38°C, across the snowy Canadian landscape. The family, identified as Jagdish Patel, his wife Vaishaliben, and their children, Vihangi (11) and Dharmik (3), were part of a group of 11 Indian migrants seeking illegal entry into the United States.

The Patels hailed from Dingucha village in Gujarat, where they lived with Jagdish's parents. Both Jagdish and his wife were schoolteachers before they decided to pursue a life in the US. However, the journey turned fatal as the family succumbed to the harsh winter conditions. Dharmik was found frozen in his father’s arms, wrapped in a blanket, highlighting the desperate attempt to protect the child.

Two men, Harshkumar Patel, nicknamed “Dirty Harry,” and Steve Shand, are currently on trial for operating the human smuggling ring responsible for this crossing. Harshkumar allegedly coordinated the operation from Canada, while Shand handled logistics on the US side. Both men, who have pleaded not guilty, face charges of running a sophisticated smuggling network catering to Indians seeking illegal entry into the US.

On January 19, 2022, Shand was supposed to pick up 11 Indian migrants, including the Patels, in northern Minnesota. Only seven migrants survived the journey, and Canadian authorities later discovered the Patel family frozen to death. The incident shed light on the increasing desperation among migrants and the risks involved in illegal border crossings.

Reports suggest that illegal immigration from India is driven by a combination of factors, including political and economic pressures, as well as the inefficiencies of the US immigration system, which can take decades to process applications. Smuggling networks, exploiting these vulnerabilities, charge fees as high as $90,000 per person. In villages like Dingucha, families often sell farmland to afford these exorbitant costs, gambling their futures on the promises of a better life abroad.

The tragedy has sparked calls for stricter measures against human smuggling networks and improved policies to address the challenges faced by migrants. However, the loss of the Patel family serves as a grim reminder of the human cost of illegal immigration.