Two men are accused of helping illegally smuggle Indian nationals across the U.S.-Canada border and into Minnesota, including four members of an Indian family who froze to death in 2022.

Experts say illegal immigration from India is driven by everything from political repression to a dysfunctional American immigration system that can take years, if not decades, to navigate legally

Documents filed by prosecutors allege the two men spoke often about the bitter cold as they smuggled five groups of Indians over that quiet stretch of border Author of the article: You can save this article by registering for free here.

They were among a group of 11 Indians who were trying to enter the US through a near-empty stretch of the Canadian border.

An Indian family of four tragically froze to death while attempting to cross the US-Canada border in January 2022. The Patel family, including two young children, were part of a larger group relying on smugglers who promised safe passage.

On the last night of their lives, Jagdish Patel, his wife and their two young children tried to slip into the US across a near-empty stretch of the Canadian border.