Panama’s notorious Darien Gap, once a treacherous corridor for tens of thousands of U.S.-bound migrants, including dangerous criminals, is now virtually deserted amid President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown and Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino’s vow to shutter the deadly route. 

Migrant crossings in the remote 2,600-mile jungle trek connecting Colombia to Panama – which officials described as “notorious for exposing migrants, including children and the most vulnerable, to sexual abuse, trafficking, and exploitation” – have plummeted to just 10 in June, according to figures released by both the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Panama’s National Migration Service.

The new figures mark a staggering 99.98% drop from the route’s peak under the Biden administration in August 2023, when more than 82,000 migrants surged through the gap in a single month, according to the DHS.

The sharp decline follows months of coordinated enforcement measures, including Trump’s mass deportation campaign and Mulino’s push to seal off the passage with increased immigration patrols. 

Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino, center, looks on during a meeting in Panama City on April 9, 2025. (FRANCO BRANA/AFP)

The DHS also issued a warning to undocumented immigrants currently residing inside the U.S., encouraging them to voluntarily depart through the CBP Home App, a platform that offers cash incentives to self-deport.

“With the most secure border in American history, DHS is focused on deporting those who break our nation’s laws,” DHS said on Thursday. “If you are here illegally, use the CBP Home App to take control of your departure and receive financial support to return home. Illegal aliens who use the CBP Home App to self-deport also receive cost-free travel and a $1,000 exit bonus, paid after their return is confirmed through the app.”