What exactly is meant by a "donkey route"? Let's understand this type of border crossing

There are always two ways of doing things-  legal and illegal. Crossing borders is also the same.

Bollywood films like Dunki, starring Shah Rukh Khan have expressed the Indian desire to settle abroad in search of a better life and how this desire can become the fuel of many to cross borders despite several troubles on the way. However, what exactly is meant by the "donkey route"?

We decide to throw some light on it.

The desire to step into a foreign land

Youngsters in many states of the country, especially in Haryana, Gujarat, and Punjab hold a strong desire to settle in a foreign land. This could be due to a fascination for the foreign land, or a hope for a better life. However, stepping into a foreign land isn't as easy as it seems. The procedures to get there are robust, sometimes demanding a bit more than what a below average or average incomed person can afford. Despite the stringent rules, the desire to step into the foreign land never dies. The solution? - The Donkey route.

However, while the regular procedures make it difficult for many to reach the legal way, the donkey route is not easy. In fact, those whole choose the "donkey route" experience severely difficult times in their journeys. They have to cross difficult rivers and forests and are forced to survive days without food, only to find out that there is a very low possibility of reaching their desired country. The illegal route involves these risk-takers traveling silently, avoiding authority figures.

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What exactly is the "Donkey Route"? Understanding the concept a bit more

The Donkey Route is actually a risky immigration route that lakhs of Indians pursue despite the dangers of reaching countries such as the United States, Europe, or the United Kingdom. The term "dunki" is actually a regional pronunciation of the "donkey route". The term has been derived from an idiom in Punjabi which literally means "moving from one place to another."

The United States Customs and Border Protection has brought forward data according to which, in the time over 42,000 Indian migrants have actually crossed the southern border through illegal means. Additionally, since November 2022, over 97,000 Indians have attempted to step into the United States through the donkey route. However, these 97,000 Indians could not succeed in their missions and got arrested by the authorities in America.

What are the expenses involved in traveling through the donkey route?

Going to the United States through the donkey route can cost an individual something between Rs 15-40 lakhs. Sometimes, the cost can even touch Rs 70 lakhs or even more. However, while the cost of traveling through the donkey route is extremely high, the cost of life is higher. Despite the high monetary amount and the great risk of life, many flood to their desirous foreign lands every year.

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