Almost 50% of fatalities at the border were associated with the dangerous journey through the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts.

Michele Klein Solomon, the Regional Director for Central and North America and the Caribbean at IOM, stressed the urgency for States to take decisive measures in light of these concerning numbers.

Improving the gathering of data is essential. Ultimately, it is necessary for nations to utilize the data in order to provide accessible and secure migration routes.

In 2022, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported a total of 1,457 fatalities and cases of individuals going missing among migrants throughout the Americas, making it the most fatal year on record.

Insufficient data

Nevertheless, these numbers reflect the “minimum estimations” provided, as numerous fatalities were probably not documented due to insufficient information.

In the Americas, there were other worrying patterns such as a 42% rise in fatalities during migration journeys in the Caribbean in the past year and the persistently dire conditions at the Darien Gap.

In 2022, there were 141 recorded migrant fatalities at the treacherous jungle border crossing between Panama and Colombia.

The United Nations organization disclosed that, based on their surveys of individuals who tried to make the journey, 1 out of every 25 reported that one of their companions had disappeared.

The impact on families is significant.

Marcelo Pisani, Regional Director for South America at IOM, stated that the limited knowledge we have on missing migrants in the Americas is a distressing truth.

The effects on the remaining families who have to tirelessly search for a missing loved one are significant.

Organizations such as IOM and UNHCR have been promoting a strategy of working together and considering all aspects in order to address the humanitarian and protection needs of individuals migrating in the entire region.

Source: news.un.org