Indian family freezes to death while crossing US-Canada border; 2 accused to stand trial from November 18
A desperate attempt to cross the Canadian border into the United States ended tragically for an Indian family of four in January 2022 when Jagdish Patel, his wife Vaishaliben, and their two young children, 11-year-old Vihangi and three-year-old Dharmik, succumbed to the brutal cold after walking for hours in -38°C temperatures.
Coordinating things in Canada, federal prosecutors said, was Harshkumar Patel, an experienced smuggler nicknamed “Dirty Harry”. On the US side was Steve Shand, the driver recently recruited by Patel at a casino near their Florida homes, prosecutors said.
The two men, whose trial is scheduled to start from November 18, are accused of being part of a sophisticated human smuggling operation feeding a fast-growing population of Indians living illegally in the US. Both have pleaded not guilty.
The family had set out on foot during a near-moonless night, travelling through fields and deep snowdrifts, in hopes of reaching a waiting van in Minnesota. The driver, Steve Shand, had warned his associate in Canada to ensure everyone was dressed for the dangerous conditions.
The Patels were part of a larger group of 11 migrants attempting to cross the border that night. They faced near-impossible odds, wearing inadequate clothing such as jeans and rubber boots, with no proper winter gear. After wandering for over 11 hours in gusting snow, they became separated from the group.
Their frozen bodies were discovered on the Canadian side of the border, with Jagdish holding his young son Dharmik. The mother and daughter were found nearby.
The smuggling network, reportedly charging up to $90,000 per person, preys on vulnerable families from Gujarat, India, by promising a better life abroad. Many, like the Patels, sell farmland or use savings to fund these perilous journeys.
‘More than 90,000 arrested while trying to cross border’
Despite such tragedies, the dream of a better life in the United States continues to draw thousands of Indians, particularly from Gujarat. US Customs and Border Protection (US-CBP) data for fiscal year 2024 reveals that 90,415 Indians were arrested trying to enter the US illegally via Canada and Mexico. Of these, nearly half hailed from Gujarat.
Notably, 43,764 Indians were caught at the northern US-Canada border, the highest recorded so far. While overall apprehensions of Indians declined slightly compared to 2023, the Canada route has gained popularity among Gujaratis due to the relative ease of entry with Canadian visitor visas.
