The air temperature was pushing 20 below zero, and bitter winds were whipping up blinding snow one morning last January when U.S. Border Patrol agents in North Dakota spotted five human forms moving through the barren borderland where America and Canada meet.

They were migrants from India: exhausted, disoriented, and determined to reach the United States along one of its most desolate frontiers. They’d been trudging through knee- to waist-deep snow for 11 hours in whiteout conditions; two had to be rushed to a hospital.

But what felt like a heroic rescue quickly turned ominous when agents discovered that a family with children was still out there somewhere in the blizzard. An urgent search involving drones, a plane, all-terrain vehicles, and agents on both sides of the border led to the discovery several hours later of the ice-encased bodies of a family of four, lost in the snow just 15 yards short of America.

One morning last January, the air temperature was 20 below zero in North Dakota. The winds brought blinding snow. The U.S. Border Patrol agents saw five human forms walking through the deserted borderland between America and Canada.

They were migrants from India. They were exhausted and disoriented. They were trying to reach the United States. They’d been walking in the storm through deep snow for 11 hours. Two were taken to a hospital.

It felt like a brave rescue. But it quickly turned bleak. Agents discovered that a family with children was still out there somewhere in the blizzard. An urgent search started; it involved drones, a plane, all-terrain vehicles, and agents on both sides of the border. That led to the discovery, several hours later, of the frozen bodies of a family of four. They had gotten lost in the snow, just 15 yards away from America’s border.

Jagdish Patel, 39, and his wife, Vaishali, 37, had been teachers in the Indian state of Gujarat until Covid-19 shuttered schools. With few job options in their home village, they’d paid to be smuggled, along with their 11-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son, into the U.S. But the smugglers had abandoned them in the treacherous terrain along the border.

As security has tightened at popular southern crossing points such as the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, hundreds of migrants a year are trying their luck along the less-fortified border with Canada, where there are no National Guard troops, no blazing desert heat, no towering border wall.

Jagdish Patel, 39, and his wife, Vaishali, 37, had been teachers in the Indian state of Gujarat. Then schools were shut down because of Covid-19. They had few job options, so they paid to be smuggled into the U.S. Their 11-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son also went with them.

But the smugglers abandoned them in the dangerous terrain along the border.

Security has increased at popular southern crossing points, such as the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. So every year hundreds of migrants try to cross along the border with Canada. At the northern U.S. border, there are no National Guard troops, no hot desert, and no tall border wall.

But the inhospitable northern Plains along the North Dakota and Minnesota borders can be especially perilous in the winter, when blizzards sometimes reduce visibility to zero. There’s no cellphone signal to call for help. There’s nowhere to take shelter. Hypothermia can set in within minutes.

“I doubt this family had the first clue where they were walking,” says Sergeant Mike Jennings, a police detective in nearby Grand Forks, North Dakota. “You can’t see the hand in front of your face when snow is blowing so hard.”

The week before the Indian family died, the Border Patrol in North Dakota intercepted an Eritrean man who had plodded through the snow from Canada. Twice in December and again in January, agents found boot prints in the snow—signs of migrants who had passed through and slipped away.

“We’ve seen an increase in countries outside the hemisphere crossing both the southern and the northern border,” says Jessica Bolter of the Migration Policy Institute, “and that likely has to do with the increased difficulty in coming to the U.S. legally with a visa. This has been especially hard on Indians.”

But the cold northern Plains along the North Dakota and Minnesota borders can be very dangerous in the winter. The blizzards can reduce visibility to zero. Cellphones have no signal to call for help. There’s no shelter. Body temperature can drop dangerously low in a few minutes.

“I doubt this family had the first clue where they were walking,” says Sergeant Mike Jennings. He’s a police detective in nearby Grand Forks, North Dakota. “You can’t see the hand in front of your face when snow is blowing so hard.”

The week before the Indian family died, the Border Patrol in North Dakota found an Eritrean man who had walked through the snow from Canada. Twice in December and again in January, agents saw boot prints in the snow. Those are signs of migrants who had passed through and slipped away.

“We’ve seen an increase in countries outside the hemisphere crossing both the southern and the northern border,” says Jessica Bolter of the Migration Policy Institute, “and that likely has to do with the increased difficulty in coming to the U.S. legally with a visa. This has been especially hard on Indians.”

The tragedy of the Patels’ deaths shocked Canadians and Americans and shone a spotlight on the illicit and dangerous smuggling networks that desperate migrants resort to.

The Patels, as best as U.S. and Canadian officials could reconstruct it later, were part of a group of 11 Indian migrants who had assembled in the tiny Canadian town of Emerson and received instructions on how to cross the border on foot.

They expected to meet a smuggler on the American side who would deliver them to their final destination, most likely Illinois, where they had family or friends. But the Patel family, perhaps trailing with two children, got separated from the rest of the migrants as they fought their way through the snowy darkness. They died from exposure to the cold.

“At negative 29 degrees wind chill, you can get frostbite within minutes,” says Scott Good, the Border Patrol’s chief patrol agent in the area. “There is nothing that is going to protect you for 11 hours.”

Canadians and Americans were shocked by the death of the Patel family. It brought attention to the illegal and dangerous smuggling networks that migrants often use.

The Patels were apparently part of a group of 11 Indian migrants. They had assembled in the tiny Canadian town of Emerson. There they received instructions on how to cross the border on foot.

They expected to meet a smuggler on the American side. The smuggler would take them to their final destination. That was likely Illinois, where they had family or friends. But the Patel family, perhaps walking more slowly with two children, got separated from the rest of the group. They lost their way in the snowstorm. They died from exposure to the cold.

“At negative 29 degrees wind chill, you can get frostbite within minutes,” says Scott Good. He’s the Border Patrol’s chief patrol agent in the area. “There is nothing that is going to protect you for 11 hours.”

Gujarat state has a long history of immigration to the U.S., a trend that has only intensified during the pandemic, creating brisk demand for smuggling enterprises that masquerade as travel agencies.

In the farming village of Dingucha, where the Patels were living, travel agencies offer visas for immigration and study in Canada, a country that sometimes offers easier access for immigrants than the U.S. It’s become common for migrants like the Patels to use the agencies to obtain visas, sometimes under false pretenses, such as by seeking student or tourist visas when their actual intent is to slip into the U.S.

The Patels, a family friend said, had lost their teaching jobs during the pandemic and decided to go to America, where they had family. They made plans to fly to Canada. Once there, they would be met by guides who would help them cross the border.

“Jagdish got the visa,” says Amrit Vakil, a family friend. “They left to build a new life.”

The Patels arrived in Toronto, Canada’s largest city, on Jan. 12, 2022. Six days later, they were among the group of 11 Indians dropped off in Emerson, with instructions to walk south until they spotted the lights of a Minnesota natural gas plant on the other side of the border, the only landmark for several miles. A van would be waiting for them there.

Gujarat state has a long history of immigration to the U.S. That trend has grown during the pandemic. It has created more demand for smuggling businesses that pose as travel agencies.

The Patels were living in the farming village of Dingucha. Many travel agencies there offer visas for immigration and study in Canada. Canada sometimes offers easier access for immigrants than the U.S. Many migrants like the Patels use the agencies to obtain visas. Often they say they want a student or tourist visa, but they actually intend to slip into the U.S.

A friend of the Patels said the couple had lost their teaching jobs during the pandemic. They decided to go to America, where they had family. They made plans to fly to Canada. Once there, they would be met by guides. The guides would help them cross the border.

“Jagdish got the visa,” says Amrit Vakil, a family friend. “They left to build a new life.”

The Patels arrived in Toronto, Canada’s largest city, on Jan. 12, 2022. Six days later, they were among the group of 11 Indians dropped off in Emerson. They had instructions to walk south until they spotted the lights of a Minnesota natural gas plant on the other side of the border. That’s the only landmark for several miles. A van would be there waiting for them.

On January 18, the National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning, with travel advised for “emergencies only.” Despite this, the migrants set out after dark. It was a straight shot from the edge of the little town, about 5 miles to the border.

Several in the group wore matching winter coats with fur-trimmed hoods, gloves, balaclavas, and rubber boots. But soon after their departure, 35-mph gusts began blasting snow everywhere, and the Patels became separated from the group. Instead of continuing south toward the U.S., the family stumbled eastward—farther from the meeting point.

“People who have never lived in the north and seen subzero temperatures for weeks on end really have no concept,” says Lyndi Needham, who owns a motel near the border. “This place is colder than your kitchen freezer.”

On January 18, the National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning. Travel was advised for “emergencies only.” Despite this, the migrants set out that day after dark. It was a straight shot from the edge of the little town, about 5 miles to the border.

Several in the group wore winter coats with hoods, gloves, balaclavas, and rubber boots. Soon after their departure, 35-mph winds began blowing snow everywhere. The Patels became separated from the group. Instead of continuing south toward the U.S., the family went eastward. That was farther from the meeting point.

“People who have never lived in the north and seen subzero temperatures for weeks on end really have no concept,” says Lyndi Needham, who owns a motel near the border. “This place is colder than your kitchen freezer.”

U.S. authorities placed the seven other Indian migrants in deportation proceedings and released them with orders to check in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Chicago. The bodies of the Patel family were sent to a morgue in Winnipeg, Canada. Dilip Patel, a relative in Illinois, organized a GoFundMe campaign that raised more than $80,000 for a funeral.

“It’s so tragic to see a family die like that, victims of human traffickers,” said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “This is why we are doing all we can to discourage people from crossing the border in an irregular or illicit manner. We know there are great risks in doing so.”

On Feb. 6, 2022, relatives from the U.S. and India gathered at a funeral home, and a local Indian priest performed final rites. People from the Patels’ home village in Gujarat watched the ceremony on a livestream. A toy truck and stuffed animal poked out of the tiny casket of 3-year-old Dharmik. A stuffed unicorn rested alongside his sister, Vihangi.

“It was the saddest funeral for me,” says Bhadresh Bhatt, former president of the Hindu Society of Manitoba, who attended. “Such a young family. Especially the two young kids—they had not seen the world yet.”

U.S. authorities placed the seven other Indian migrants in deportation procedures. Then they released them. They were ordered to check in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Chicago. The bodies of the Patel family were sent to a morgue in Winnipeg, Canada. Dilip Patel, a relative in Illinois, organized a GoFundMe campaign. That raised more than $80,000 for a funeral.

“It’s so tragic to see a family die like that, victims of human traffickers,” said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “This is why we are doing all we can to discourage people from crossing the border in an irregular or illicit manner. We know there are great risks in doing so.”

On Feb. 6, 2022, relatives from the U.S. and India gathered at a funeral home. A local Indian priest performed final rites. People from the Patels’ home village in Gujarat watched the ceremony on a livestream. A toy truck and stuffed animal was in the small casket of 3-year-old Dharmik. A stuffed unicorn was alongside his sister, Vihangi.

“It was the saddest funeral for me,” says Bhadresh Bhatt. He’s the former president of the Hindu Society of Manitoba, who attended the ceremony. “Such a young family. Especially the two young kids—they had not seen
the world yet.”

Miriam Jordan covers immigration for The Times. Additional reporting by Patricia Smith.

Miriam Jordan covers immigration for The Times. Additional reporting by Patricia Smith.