MEXICO CITY

About 14,000 migrants en route to the US have returned to South America in what has been described as an unprecedented surge in reverse migration, according to a report Friday.

From January to July, southbound migration saw a dramatic rise, as outlined in a report by the governments of Colombia, Panama and Costa Rica.

The trilateral mission, supported by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, monitored key migration routes and checkpoints across the three countries between July 21 and Aug. 1.

“The mission allowed us to verify that transit restrictions in the Darien jungle, along with stricter immigration policies in the United States, led to a 97% reduction in irregular northbound migration between January and August 2025,” it said.

It is in stark contrast to the more than 260,000 migrants who made the crossing during the same period in 2024.

The migrants who returned during the period were primarily Venezuelan nationals, accounting for 97% of the documented southward flow, with most heading to neighboring Colombia.

Based on 182 testimonies collected from returnees, the report revealed that 49% of those interviewed said they returned because it was impossible to enter the US, while 46% cited fears of detention and deportation as their main reason for turning back.

The study also shed light on the violence that is prevalent along migration routes in the region. Armed robbery, extortion and sexual violence, particularly against women and young girls, were identified as the most common crimes committed against migrants.

According to the report, 86.8% of migrants either experienced violence directly or witnessed abuses along the paths.

The reverse migration is unfolding amid a suspension of international humanitarian aid, leaving vulnerable populations without the protection that is historically offered by local humanitarian organizations.

“Migrant people have the right to life, health, education, and work. We will continue to monitor this type of migration,” said Scott Campbell, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights representative in Colombia.