In his quest for a better life and new opportunities, Yahya (a pseudonym), a young man in his twenties, decided to migrate illegally to the United States. His story mirrors that of dozens of Jordanian youths who embark on similar dangerous journeys, often falling into the traps of Mexican cartels as they search for hope.

An in-depth investigation into the smuggling of Jordanian youths to the US, reveals a dangerous and difficult route that spans across several countries illegally. The investigation managed to infiltrate one of the smugglers overseeing these operations and interviewed young men who successfully reached America.

"It was a long and arduous journey lasting 41 days, from February 18 to April 1, 2024, that began in Lebanon, then proceeded to London, and reached the Netherlands. From there, I continued the journey by plane to Panama," Yahya recounted.

The first part of the journey involved legal travel by air to European capitals after leaving Jordan. The second phase involved overland travel through several countries.

The overland journey

Yahya undertook the first phase of his migration alone without collaborating with external entities until he reached Panama, where he met others from Jordan.

"After that, our land journey began in vehicles and buses, passing through Honduras, then Guatemala, and finally to Mexico," Yahya explained.

Several migrants had made their way independently, similar to Yahya, without the help of smugglers from Jordan.

The young men booked flight tickets to various countries before reaching Mexico in coordination with Mexican cartels who escorted them to the US border. The overland distance from Panama to the US border is approximately 5,920km, taking about 78 hours of continuous travel.

Speaking via WhatsApp, Yahya described to Roya how he learned about this journey from those who preceded him.

"I found five Jordanians in Panama, and our number grew until we were 24 young men, in addition to other Jordanians who were there with different groups."

There are no exact figures on the number of Jordanians who have reached the US through this method. However, Yahya noted that he felt like he was in Jordan when he arrived in Mexico, "You feel like you're in Jordan because of the number of young Jordanians there."

Yahya explained that illegal migrants leave Jordan through legal means with approved visas, adding that the migration process starts by booking tourist round-trip tickets to transit countries.

"We entered all countries legally except for Nicaragua and Mexico, which we crossed illegally," he stated. "Even if you are caught in Mexico or Honduras, the authorities give you a few days to settle your matters and return to where you came from without imprisoning you.”

Yahya and his travel companions spent "only one day in Nicaragua," which they entered and exited "through smuggling."

A growing phenomenon amid high unemployment

One resident who has been in the US for two years told Roya via WhatsApp that his state had received 200 young men "illegally" over a few months, highlighting the extent of the risky pursuit of uncertain dreams by these youths.

Various push factors play a significant role in encouraging illegal migration. The motives range from increasing income to seeking job opportunities in the US, especially given the scarcity of job opportunities in Jordan and the low monthly income from available jobs.

According to the Department of Statistics (DoS), Jordan suffers from a 21.4 percent unemployment rate. The unemployment rate is estimated at 18.9 percent among males and 29.8 percent among females.

Yahya's primary goal for migrating to the US is to increase his income, noting that he was earning JD 1,600 monthly in Jordan.

Dangerous alliances

Contacting the smuggler was a difficult task for the investigator, who had to gain the trust of several sequential sources, some of whom concealed the smuggler's identity.

However, when the investigator finally managed to reach the smuggler, expressing a desire to migrate, the smuggler replied that "the process is legal in most stages until reaching Honduras."

"We provide trips through official bookings of airline tickets and hotels across several countries until handing the migrants over to cartels we coordinate with," he continued.

The journey begins "from the UK, then Colombia, followed by Panama, and then Nicaragua legally with booked tickets and hotels. After that, we hand the migrant over to smugglers aware of the timing of their flight.”

"The journey takes between 14 and 18 days, with the migrant spending about half of that time in Mexico,” the smuggler elaborated.

In Mexico, "the migrant moves through various stages and then takes a domestic flight to Tijuana, a border city with the US, to cross into America."

The smuggler tried to reassure the investigator that the route to America is safe for migrants. However, Yahya revealed in his voice recordings that the dangers faced in Latin American countries are "the worst experience in the world.”

“If I had known I would suffer like this along the way, I would not have left Jordan. What we went through was like a movie," Yahya recalled with sadness.

He mentioned that he and his group were "kidnapped twice by heavily armed Mexican gangs who took all our money and phones, giving us old phones to use before releasing us."

"Anyone who says the journey is safe is lying. The only guaranteed thing is staying alive; anything else is at risk," he added.

Endless hardship

Among the distressing moments was "sleeping inside gang houses," Yahya remembered a terrifying night spent "with 24 people in one room, with high temperatures and poor food." It was "endless hardship," he continued.

"It is not just the gangs; even some Mexican police officers are more dangerous. They took more than USD 200 from each person they caught to leave us alone," he recounted from personal experience.

The smuggler, however, promotes the journey as "relatively safe," though he acknowledges that "migrants might face difficulties in the last days of the journey in Mexico due to the hot weather and the modest quality of food and hotels."

High costs for uncertain outcomes

The cost of illegal migration trips to the US varies between USD 6,000 and USD 16,000, depending on the number of days, hotel quality, and land transport fees throughout the journey, according to Roya's findings.

"I have two trips for migrants, one costing USD 8,500 and the other USD 9,000. There are also trips priced at USD 6,000," explained the smuggler.

The trips organized by the smuggler include "delivering the migrant to American soil and covering travel reservations and transportation costs, excluding the migrant's personal expenses for food, cigarettes, etc… which are around JD 500," he said.

Regarding the payment mechanism, the smuggler explained that he receives "half of the amount before travel and the other half upon the migrant's arrival in Mexico." Where the smuggler's responsibility ends at the American-Mexican border.

Migration facilitators offer two weekly trips for those seeking hope across the Atlantic.

Reaching the US

Once in the US, migrants receive an 8-year humanitarian asylum permit, according to the smuggler. If the migrant has a relative or acquaintance in the US, the authorities "send them to that person and grant them a work permit within a maximum of three months."

"The entire trip cost me about USD 16,000, including over USD 3,000 for tickets," stated Yahya. After crossing the American border, "the US immigration authorities received us and granted us a three-month humanitarian asylum."

He added, "The 23 young men in my group all made it to America. Despite not being fluent in English, they all have excellent jobs, and life here is easy."

The lure of the Diversity Visa lottery

Apart from the risks, some Jordanians bet on an annual lottery announced by the US administration under the Diversity Visa Lottery program, which grants winners the privileges of American citizenship. This program has awarded 55,000 green cards annually since 1994.

According to US Department of State statistics, between 1,000 and 1,200 Jordanians win green cards each year.

A risky pursuit of a better future

The adventure of Jordanians embarking on this "journey of hardship" in search of a better life and the exploitation of young people's desires by smugglers highlight the difficult and dangerous choice.

Despite being aware of the dangers, the high cost of illegal migration, and the bitterness of exile, these young men still choose this perilous path as poverty gnaws at their dreams and unemployment crushes their hope for a better future.