A growing number of smugglers are advertising illegal border crossings from Canada to the United States on TikTok, targeting Indian nationals living in Canada, particularly students and temporary workers. According to a CBC investigation, these smugglers offer services to help migrants clandestinely cross from southern Quebec into the U.S. through remote and forested areas, charging thousands of dollars for the journey.
In one instance, a smuggler described a route involving a 40-minute walk through a forested area, assuring prospective clients that it was safe and commonly used. Many of these smuggling operations promise safe passage from cities such as Montreal, Brampton, or Surrey, British Columbia, into the U.S. Smugglers use TikTok and other social media platforms to promote their services, offering testimonials from supposedly satisfied customers. In videos posted in Punjabi, clients praise the ease of crossing the border, often citing specific smugglers by name, claiming they crossed into the U.S. without issue.
The investigation revealed that these illegal services have become more common as irregular border crossings from Canada to the U.S. have surged in recent months. Since January 2024, over 13,000 people have been arrested while attempting to cross the border clandestinely from Canada into the U.S., a dramatic 526% increase from 2022. Most of those intercepted by U.S. authorities are Indian or Bangladeshi nationals who had been living in Canada on temporary visas.
One smuggler, when contacted, asked for $5,000 to facilitate a crossing from Montreal into the U.S., promising guidance over the phone while the client walked through a wooded area. Another smuggler offered a lower price of $1,500 per person, with group discounts available. He provided detailed instructions, advising clients to wear long sleeves and bring extra shoes for the journey through the dense terrain. These smugglers operate under the assumption that once migrants are intercepted by U.S. border patrol, they will be processed and released, allowing them to travel further into the United States.
The market for these illegal services has flourished in part due to Canada’s relatively easier immigration process, particularly for Indian nationals. Many Indian migrants view Canada as a stepping stone to the U.S., which has a more restrictive visa process. Gangs operating out of Punjab, India, now see Canada as a safer and more lucrative base for human smuggling operations, exploiting the long, relatively unguarded stretches of the U.S.-Canada border.
In addition to the physical border crossings, the investigation uncovered online ads in private social media groups offering fraudulent Canadian visas, airfare, and illegal border-crossing services in bundled packages costing as much as $130,000. This service is marketed to individuals seeking to circumvent the legal immigration process to enter the U.S. after first arriving in Canada. The smugglers also use disinformation to stoke fears among Indian students and temporary workers in Canada, claiming that thousands face imminent deportation, encouraging them to seek illegal crossings into the U.S.
American authorities have condemned the rise in these illegal crossings, attributing the surge to organized crime networks that spread false narratives about open borders and prey on vulnerable migrants. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has vowed to crack down on these operations, emphasizing the dangers faced by migrants who attempt to cross the border illegally.
Political experts in Canada argue that the rise in human smuggling through Canada reflects broader immigration challenges. While Canada remains a popular destination for migrants, the difficulties in securing permanent residency, combined with the lure of the larger U.S. economy, drive many migrants to pursue dangerous illegal routes into the United States. According to Shinder Purewal, a political scientist at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Canada’s relatively open and expansive border with the U.S. has become a tempting option for smugglers, especially compared to the more heavily guarded and dangerous U.S.-Mexico border.
The investigation has brought to light the extent of human smuggling operations along the U.S.-Canada border and the role of social media platforms like TikTok in promoting these illegal activities. As Canadian and American authorities attempt to address the surge in irregular border crossings, the issue of human smuggling remains a significant challenge, with vulnerable migrants caught in the middle of organized criminal activities exploiting their desperation for a better life in North America.
