Social Media And Digital Platforms On The Migrant Journey From The Darien Rainforest To Mexico’s Northern Border

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29340/en.v8n15.400

Keywords:

immigration, Darien Gap, digital platforms, TikTok, WhatsApp, migrant experience

Abstract

The trip to the United States for undocumented immigrants includes dangerous routes like the Darien Gap and parts of Mexico run by organized crime. This article examines how social media and digital platforms influence the migrant experience based on two case studies. It shows how media like TikTok, WhatsApp, and Facebook are used not only to document and share experiences in real time but also to build digital support communities. The findings reveal that while digitalization facilitates planning and reduces risks, it also exposes immigrants to new dangers. Ultimately, the article underlines the need for policies that incorporate these tools to enhance the safety of immigrants and provide them with support along their journey.

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Author Biographies

  • Alberto Hernández Hernández , El Colegio de la Frontera Norte

    Alberto Hernández Hernández holds a PhD in Sociology from Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Professor-researcher of the Department of Public Administration Studies at El Colegio de la Frontera Norte, president of that institution from 2017 to 2022. Member of the National System of Researchers, level III. He has been a professor in Colombia and Spain and visiting researcher at the University of California, San Diego, and at the Instituto Universitario Ortega y Gasset, Spain. Recent publications: Alberto Hernández and Amalia Campos-Delgado (coords.) (2022). Migración y movilidad en las Américas. Buenos Aires and Mexico: Siglo XXI and CLACSO; Alberto Hernández, R. Cruz (coords.) (2021). Geografías del trabajo sexual en las fronteras de América Latina. Tijuana: El Colegio de la Frontera Norte. Líneas de investigación: Fronteras, migración internacional y estudios culturales.

  • Carlos S. Ibarra, El Colegio de la Frontera Norte

    Carlos S. Ibarra is an anthropologist trained at the National School of Anthropology and History, Master in Social Anthropology from the School of Anthropology and History of Northern Mexico and PhD in cultural studies from El Colegio de la Frontera Norte. He is a specialist in emerging Christian movements, processes of religious deconstruction, conservative political identities in the United States, migration and mental health. Researcher at the Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation, Mexico; as well as at the School of Anthropology and History of Northern Mexico. He has coordinated field work for several projects related to religious change, migration and refugee issues. He has taught at institutions such as El Colegio de Michoacán and El Colegio de la Frontera Norte. Member of the SNI.

  • Arturo Fabián J., Universidad de Guadalajara

    Arturo Fabián J. is a researcher and documentary filmmaker with extensive experience in the study of religious phenomena and popular religiosity in Mexico, as well as in the analysis of migration and violence against migrants in regions such as the Darien Gap. He is a specialist in the analysis of unofficial cults and the production of salvation goods, with a particular focus on the figure of Jesus Malverde. His work combines ethnographic and photographic methods to document and analyze the practices and beliefs of diverse religious communities. In addition, he has researched and documented the plight of migrants, using video documentary production to capture their experiences and make visible the violations of their human rights. He has presented his research at national and international conferences and has published several articles in specialized journals, in which she presents a more complete and accessible vision of religious and migratory dynamics in contemporary contexts.

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Published

2025-03-20

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 15 (2025): Routes, dynamics, and responses to migration: from the Darién to Tapachula

Section

Temáticas

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How to Cite

Social Media And Digital Platforms On The Migrant Journey From The Darien Rainforest To Mexico’s Northern Border. (2025). Encartes, 8(15), 39-65. https://doi.org/10.29340/en.v8n15.400