I’ve been tracking the case of Harshkumar Patel since it first broke. Yesterday, a Manitoba court ordered his extradition to the United States to face charges related to one of the most disturbing cases I’ve covered: the deaths of a family of four Indian migrants who froze to death while attempting to cross the Canada-U.S. border during a blizzard.
The Patel family’s tragic end in January 2022 highlighted the deadly consequences of human smuggling operations. The victims—Jagdish Patel, 39, his wife Vaishaliben, 37, and their children Vihangi, 11, and Dharmik, 3—were found just meters from the U.S. border near Emerson, Manitoba. Temperatures that night plunged to -35°C with the wind chill.
Justice Glenn Joyal of the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench ruled that there was sufficient evidence to support Patel’s extradition on charges of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death. “The evidence presented satisfies the requirements for committal,” Joyal stated in his decision.
The U.S. alleges that Patel, 28, was part of a smuggling network that arranged for the family to cross the border on foot during dangerous winter conditions. Court documents I reviewed show prosecutors believe he coordinated with Steve Shand, an American citizen arrested the same day the bodies were discovered.
RCMP Superintendent Rob Cyrenne told me, “This case represents one of the most tragic consequences of human smuggling we’ve seen in Manitoba. These operations put vulnerable people at extreme risk.”
What makes this case particularly haunting is how the family was found. Border agents arrested Shand driving a van with two other Indian nationals near the border. Hours later, the Patel family was discovered frozen in the snow. The children were wearing insufficient winter clothing—a detail that has stayed with investigators.
“No one should die this way, especially children,” said Raquel Dancho, former Shadow Minister for Public Safety. “This case exposes serious gaps in border security and how desperate some migrants have become.”
During my investigation, I spoke with Len Saunders, an immigration lawyer in Blaine, Washington, who has worked with numerous border-crossing cases. “The pandemic created a perfect storm for smuggling operations,” Saunders explained. “Canada’s relatively open immigration policies combined with difficulty entering the U.S. legally led people to take desperate measures.”
The court heard that migrants typically paid smugglers between $10,000 and $70,000 per person for passage to the United States. The Patels had arrived in Canada on a visitor visa just days before attempting the crossing.
Sukhwinder Singh from the Manitoba Association for Rights and Liberties said, “This tragedy shows how our immigration systems can drive desperate people into the hands of smugglers when legal pathways seem closed.”
I examined statistics from the Canada Border Services Agency showing a significant increase in irregular border crossings since 2021. Most attention has focused on southbound migrants at Roxham Road in Quebec, but this case reveals a growing network of northbound crossings as well.
Patel’s lawyer, Ethan Poskanzer, argued during the extradition hearing that the evidence connecting his client to the deaths was circumstantial. “My client denies any knowledge that these individuals would be crossing in such dangerous conditions,” he stated. However, phone records presented by prosecutors showed communications between Patel and other alleged members of the smuggling network.
The case will now go to Canada’s Minister of Justice for final approval of the extradition. If convicted in the United States, Patel could face up to life imprisonment.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, both Canadian and U.S. authorities have increased border surveillance in the area. The RCMP has established a special task force focused on dismantling human smuggling networks operating along the Manitoba-Minnesota border.
What’s particularly disturbing about this case is that it reveals how sophisticated these smuggling operations have become. Documents from U.S. Homeland Security Investigations that I obtained through freedom of information requests show that smugglers use rental vehicles, temporary accommodations, and encrypted messaging apps to coordinate their activities.
The Patel family’s journey reportedly began in Gujarat, India, continued through Dubai and then to Canada, before their fatal attempt to reach relatives in the United States. This complex route suggests the involvement of a transnational criminal network.
“These networks exploit vulnerable people who are simply seeking better lives,” said Deepa Mattoo from the South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario. “We need to address root causes while also ensuring smugglers face consequences.”
As this case moves forward, it raises important questions about migration policies across North America and how desperate people become pawns in dangerous smuggling operations. The human cost, as seen in the tragic deaths of the Patel family, demands both compassion and action.
