A viral video has spotlighted a real-life scenario reminiscent of Shah Rukh Khan’s film ‘Dunki,’ revealing a decade-old illegal route to realize the NRI dream. The footage features two young Indians casually walking towards the Mexico border, sharply contrasting the struggles of hardworking individuals seeking H1B visas or green cards, with wait times extending beyond 100 years.
While professionals such as engineers, scientists, and journalists face a minimum wait of 500 days for visa approval, others exploit a significant loophole in the U.S. immigration system — the open border — to cross into the country without proper documentation. This stark dichotomy highlights the flaws in U.S. immigration policy, which inadvertently favors illegal immigration while disadvantaging those pursuing legal avenues.
Against this backdrop, Indians have emerged as the third-largest group of undocumented immigrants in the U.S., with numbers surging by 70% since 2011.
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Viral video captures the ‘donkey’ way
A video being widely circulated on on X (formerly Twitter) shows larger numbers of Indians. Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis are walking across the Texas-Mexico border like my afternoon walk after having a heartful of lunch. Their dialect emcee that most of the Indians are hailing from Punjab region (except Bangladeshis). However, their opted route is not sure, while the lady behind the lens questioned them multiple times, “Did you fly into Mexico?” the walkers seemed not to catch any meaning. The best bet is they took a flight from- New Delhi, Mumbai, or Kolkata (As for Bangladeshis, it will be Dhaka and Islamabad for Pakistanis) and fly to Mexico and walk across the Texas-Mexico border.
Without any fear two Indians in the video are happy to crossover the US border after a long strenuous journey. The illegal route is a short cut to realise the American considering their counterparts study hard to get a student visa, to then get a work visa and then meander through various challenges to await their green card.
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Vivek Wadhwa, an Indian-American author and motivational speaker, pours his frustration saying, “This is the ridiculous state of US immigration: break the law and get rewarded for it. Highly skilled engineers and scientists can’t even get tourist visas while anyone can catch a flight to Mexico and walk across the border, ”and added, “No background checks, no visa processing delays.”
Another X user piped in, “USA is taking lessons from the likes of West Bengal and Delhi, maybe they were amazed by the ingenuis idea of just creating your own illegal immigrant vote bank, forever loyal to you.”
H1-B visa expert pours in frustration, but not vouching for ‘donkey’
While addressing the huge backlog, Varun Singh, MD-XIPHIAS Immigration, told HindustanTimes.com, “Crucial for skilled Indian professionals aiming to work in the United States, is currently facing significant challenges due to extensive backlogs.”
The XIPHIAS boss also charted the course of how the White House can amend this issue. He explained, “Increasing awareness about the benefits of adjustment of status, such as being able to stay with family members and work in the U.S” and added, “See, The White House should focus on revising the allocation of visa numbers to ensure a fair distribution between visas issued abroad and adjustments of status within the US.”
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What is Dunki or donkey?
‘Dunki’ or ‘donkey’ a colloquial term derived from the Punjabi idiom for hopping places, has become synonymous with the perilous journey many undertake to cross borders illegally. The video, shared widely across social media platforms like Twitter, has ignited conversations about the human cost of such undertakings.
The ‘Dunki’ route is a labyrinthine journey through multiple countries, a test of endurance and resolve. It’s a narrative of desperation and determination, where the end justifies the means. As one Punjabi immigration agent candidly admits, he has facilitated the passage of 60 clients through this very route.
The Pew Research Center’s 2021 estimates place the number of undocumented Indian immigrants in the U.S. at 725,000. A figure that is not just a statistic but a testament to the lengths people will go for a sliver of hope. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s data corroborates this surge, especially between 2020 and 2023.
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US Customs and Border Protection reported that a record number of 96,917 Indians were either detained or deported in the previous year while attempting to enter Lincon’s land. This figure shows a massive increase from the 30,662 individuals reported in 2021. The exact number of those who successfully crossed the border remains uncertain.
Vikram Sharma is a globe-trotting journalist with a global perspective on international events. His articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing insights into the world’s most pressing challenges.
