Harsh Patel Sentenced to 10 years in Prison.
Human smuggler gets 10-year sentence for his role in the human smuggling operation which caused a family of four to freeze to death on the US-Canada border.
In January 2022, Jagdish Patel (39), his wife Vaishaliben (37), their daughter Vihangi (11), and son Dharmik (3), all from Dingucha, Gujarat, froze to death while attempting to illegally cross the U.S.-Canada border during a blizzard. The family, lured by promises of a better life, was part of a group of 11 Indian migrants smuggled through a sophisticated operation orchestrated by Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel (no relation to the victims). On January 19, 2022, near the Manitoba-Minnesota border, the group faced brutal conditions with wind chill temperatures dropping to -36°F. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police discovered the family’s bodies just 33 feet from the U.S. border, highlighting the deadly risks of the smuggling operation.
Following his imprisonment, Patel faces deportation from the United States. His accomplice, 50-year-old Steve Anthony Shand, also from Florida, was sentenced to six years and six months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. Trial evidence revealed that Patel and Shand participated in an extensive smuggling network that facilitated the entry of Indian nationals into Canada using fraudulent student visas before illegally transporting them across the U.S. northern border. Patel coordinated the smuggling logistics from Manitoba, Canada, into the U.S., while Shand drove the migrants from just south of the Canadian border to Chicago. Both profited from the operation, ignoring the dangers of extreme cold faced by the migrants. The trial disclosed that the smuggling fee from India through Canada to the U.S. was approximately $100,000 per person.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said “Patel and Shand endangered thousands of lives for their personal enrichment and are responsible for the deaths of two small children who froze to death on their watch. This case demonstrates the grave danger associated with human smuggling operations. I thank the prosecutors and our law enforcement partners in the U.S. and in Canada who are working to secure the northern border and end the perilous smuggling of aliens into the United States.”
The sentencing of Harshkumar Patel and Steve Shand may deter some human smuggling activities by showcasing consequences, but it’s unlikely to stop the practice entirely. Human smuggling is driven by complex factors like economic desperation, global migration pressures, and organized crime networks, which persist despite individual convictions. Their operation charged $100,000 per person, indicating high profitability that attracts others to fill the void. While the 10-year and 6.5-year sentences send a message, the U.S.-Canada border’s vastness and demand for migration routes suggest smuggling will continue unless root causes—poverty, visa restrictions, and lax enforcement—are addressed. Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows over 1,000 apprehensions of Indian nationals at the northern border in 2022, a fraction of total attempts, highlighting the scale of the issue.
Estimates of Indian Nationals Smuggled into the U.S. and Canada
Precise numbers of Indian nationals smuggled into the U.S. and Canada are challenging to pinpoint due to the clandestine nature of human smuggling and incomplete data on undetected crossings. However, available data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and other sources provide estimates:
United States:
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, CBP encountered approximately 96,917 Indian nationals attempting illegal crossings at U.S. borders, with 30,010 at the U.S.-Canada border and 41,770 at the U.S.-Mexico border. This marks a significant increase from 2,225 at the northern border in FY 2021.
Since October 2020, CBP has recorded about 169,000 encounters with Indian migrants at both southern and northern U.S. land borders, making them the largest group of extra-hemispheric migrants encountered during this period.
In FY 2024, 43,764 Indian nationals were detained at the U.S.-Canada border, the highest recorded figure for this entry point, with a total of 69,380 encounters across both borders (25,616 at the southern border).
Estimates suggest around 725,000 undocumented Indian immigrants were living in the U.S. as of 2022, making them the third-largest group of unauthorized immigrants after Mexicans and Salvadorans.
Canada:
Specific figures for Indian nationals smuggled into Canada are less clear, as Canada’s data focuses more on apprehensions at the U.S. border or asylum claims. However, a 2023 report noted that Indians are among the largest groups of asylum seekers in Canada, with many entering legally on visitor or student visas before attempting to cross into the U.S.
These figures likely underestimate the total number of smuggled individuals, as they only account for those apprehended or encountered by authorities. Many crossings go undetected, and the smuggling networks are sophisticated, often involving multiple countries and routes.
