Indian Family Freezes to Death Attempting Canada-US Border Crossing Â
Indian Family Freezes to Death Attempting Canada-US Border Crossing  (Image for representation)
A perilous journey highlights the risks and desperation fueling illegal immigration.
Tragedy struck in January 2022 when an Indian family froze to death attempting to cross the Canada-US border. Jagdish Patel, his wife Vaishaliben, and their two children, Vihangi (11) and Dharmik (3), were found lifeless in a Canadian field amid brutal wind chills of -36°F (-38°C). Their deaths underscore the growing dangers faced by migrants seeking a better life in the United States through illegal means.
On their final night, the Patel family set out on foot across desolate snow-covered farmland. They aimed to meet a waiting van in northern Minnesota. Despite warnings of blizzard conditions, the group wore inadequate clothing, such as jeans and rubber boots. After hours of wandering, separated from others in their group, the family succumbed to the extreme cold.
Jagdish was found clutching Dharmik’s frozen body, wrapped in a blanket. Nearby lay Vihangi and Vaishaliben. A backpack belonging to another migrant contained children’s clothes and toys meant for the Patels, symbolizing their hope for a new beginning.
Federal prosecutors allege the Patel family was part of a human smuggling pipeline operated by Harshkumar “Dirty Harry” Patel in Canada and Steve Shand in the US. The duo is accused of facilitating five smuggling trips over five weeks, charging up to $90,000 per migrant. Patel, a 29-year-old Indian national, reportedly coordinated logistics, while Shand, 50, acted as the driver, earning $25,000 for his role. Both men face trial in Minnesota, charged with human smuggling. They have pleaded not guilty.
The Patels hailed from Dingucha, a village in Gujarat, India, known for its high emigration rates. Ads plastered across the village promise dreams of life abroad. The family, relatively well-off as schoolteachers, had no immediate financial desperation but likely felt societal pressure to pursue the prosperity flaunted by neighbors settled overseas.
The allure of economic opportunity in the US, paired with India’s slow and complex legal immigration system, has spurred a surge in illegal crossings. By 2022, over 725,000 Indians lived in the US without legal documentation. Many are smuggled across the Canadian border, which saw over 14,000 arrests of Indian nationals in the year ending September 2022, a tenfold increase from two years prior.
Migrants crossing the Canada-US border often endure harsh environments, underprepared for freezing temperatures. Smugglers rarely inform them of the risks involved, instead painting the journey as easy. The Patels’ group spent over 11 hours in the snow before being discovered. Shand, driving a rented van to pick them up, got stuck in a ditch. By the time help arrived, it was too late for the family.
The Patels’ deaths drew widespread attention, leading to arrests in India of individuals linked to smuggling operations. However, hundreds of similar cases go unnoticed, as the demand for illegal migration networks remains high. Advocates like Minneapolis-based immigration attorney Satveer Chaudhary criticize the exploitation within migrant communities, where smugglers profit from the desperation of their own people.
In Winnipeg, Canadian businessman Hemant Shah organized a prayer service for the Patels, reflecting on their unimaginable suffering. “Greed took four lives,” he said, lamenting the lack of humanity in such perilous operations.
