‘I Made A Mistake’: Tearful Video From Mexico Raises Fresh Alarm Over Donkey Route
Mexico: A tearful video of a young Punjabi man in Mexico has brought fresh attention to the risks of taking the illegal “donkey route” to reach the United States.
In the 33 second video, the young Sikh man appears distressed as he speaks to the camera with folded hands. He warns others not to follow the same path and says he made a mistake by choosing the route.
According to the report, the youth claims that he was assaulted after trying to get away from the people involved in his journey. He says he was beaten and is now struggling to walk. He also alleges that the person accompanying him in the video was the same person who had brought him to Mexico.
The young man does not appear to reveal his identity or exact location. His allegations in the video have also not been independently verified.
The so called “donkey route”, also known as the “dunki route”, refers to illegal migration routes used by people trying to reach countries such as the United States through a series of countries and unofficial channels. Such journeys are often arranged through agents and intermediaries.
The route has repeatedly come under the scanner of Indian authorities because of allegations against travel agents and middlemen involved in illegal migration networks.
The Enforcement Directorate has also investigated such networks. In July 2025, the agency conducted searches at 11 locations in Punjab and Haryana as part of a money laundering probe linked to the illegal migration business. The searches resulted in the seizure of 30 original Indian passports, along with other material related to the investigation.
The agency had alleged that people hoping to travel to the US were sometimes promised legal immigration arrangements but were instead sent through illegal and risky routes. Investigators also looked into alleged cash and hawala transactions connected with the network.
In December 2025, the Enforcement Directorate carried out searches at 13 locations in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi in another investigation involving an alleged illegal immigration racket.
For families in Punjab and elsewhere who spend large amounts of money in the hope of sending relatives abroad, the latest video is a stark warning. The young man’s account is only an allegation and cannot, by itself, establish what happened to him.
But his emotional message is clear the promise of reaching America through a shortcut can come with serious risks, and those considering such routes need to understand the dangers before trusting agents or intermediaries.
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