Faces of migration in Panama’s Bajo Chiquito and Ireland’s Roscrea

Are murders committed by undocumented migrants on the rise in the United States? According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, undocumented migrants have committed a total of 162 homicides from fiscal year 2017 to present. However, in 2015, the homicide conviction rate for undocumented migrants was lower than that of native-born Americans. Meanwhile, regular immigrants have the lowest conviction rate for murder.

The Panamanian town of Bajo Chiquito has experienced a rapid increase in population due to the flow of migrants through the Darién Gap between Panama and Colombia. It has become a communication hub for one of the busiest migration routes in the Western Hemisphere, with an estimated record of 520,000 migrants and asylum seekers crossing it in 2023. As a result, trade in food, water, accommodation, electricity, and internet access has developed in the town. Experts estimate that the local community earns tens of thousands of dollars per day thanks to migration.

In Ireland, the town of Roscrea has become a symbol of the anti-immigrant sentiments directed towards Ukrainians that have divided the country. These sentiments are fueled by the housing crisis, far-right influence, and online propaganda. Last year, there were riots in Dublin, and facilities for asylum seekers were set on fire.