tonight, exodus. with the crisis overwhelming border towns and big cities -- >> no city should be going through this. it's not sustainable. >> what's driving people to the united states? >> the venezuelan crisis is the biggest humanitarian crisis that most americans have never heard of. >> we're across continents with those making the treacherous trek north. the peril and danger.

>> this boat is operating with the permission of organized crime. it's filled with people who are about to knowingly illegally cross an international border. >> hear from families already navigating america's immigration maze. plus -- inside the fight to crack down on human smuggling. but can these efforts really help? this special edition of "nightline," "exodus," will be right back. ah mornings! cough? congestion? i'm feeling better. all in one and done with new mucinex kickstart. headache? better now. new mucinex kickstart gives all-in-one and done relief with a morning jolt of instant cooling sensation. it's comeback season. pain hits fast. so get relief fast. only tylenol rapid release gels have laser drilled holes. they release medicine fast for fast pain relief. and now, get max strength topical pain relief precisely where you need it. with new tylenol precise.

you can make money the hard way as a bullfighter or a human cannonball... or save money the easy way, with xfinity mobile. existing customers can get a free line of our most popular unlimited plan for a year! not only will you save hundreds, but you'll also be joining millions who have connected to america's most reliable 5g network. sure is a lot safer than becoming a stuntman for money. get a free line of unlimited intro for a year when you buy one unlimited line. plus, get the new samsung galaxy s24 on us.

"nightline" ", does" continues. here now, matt rivers. >> on a mod morning at this new york city church, services may be over. but for some, salvation is just beginning. families lined up around the block seeking basic necessities, support, and clarity at a nonprofit resource fair. it's a scene all too familiar across the country. hotels and high schools turned into temporary shelters. >> nobody's in charge of the border, and nobody's in charge of this city. >> reporter: towns big and small stretched thin. >> more than 30,000 arriving in denver so far. >> reporter: outcry from

overwhelmed mayors. >> an international crisis of global population shift. >> no city should be going through this, and it's not sustainable. >> reporter: the growing migrant crisis the latest boiling point in america's immigration debate. just this past december, encounters at the border reached a record high. one of the largest groups, venezuelans. crossing over more times last year than any other on record. many seeking asylum. >> when someone applies for asylum, they have a legal right to stay in the country until that asylum claim is heard. the venezuelan crisis is the biggest humanitarian crisis that most americans have never heard of. we know about syrians, we know about ukrainians leaving because of the russian invasion. roughly the same number of people have left venezuela. >> reporter: ilie and angel, both 21, aretired in new york from caracas last year, coming to america never the ultimate dream.

>> reporter: once a thriving nation rich in oil money, venezuela has plummeted into political and economic calamity following decades of corruption. the exodus, about one-quarter of the country's population. more than 7 million venezuelans have left their homeland since 2015, moving to other countries in latin america, and most recently, to the united states. >> they're running away from a situation that was impossible to stay in. and so they've arrived in the u.s., sometimes without a plan. and that's why this is the first time that we've seen migrants in a large number actually staying in shelters. >> reporter: tonight, we're across continents following families as they weigh desperate options.

many forced to trek for days through a so-called highway of hell. they strive toward dreams that can feel further away with every step. >> people are on the move more than they have been since world war ii. >> reporter: we're on the front lines in the fight to crack down on the human smuggling that is fueling record numbers at the border. >> this is how we work. >> reporter: even after a year in the states, it's hard to tell if life has gotten better for ilie and her family. the foursome live in a room in this shelter. she spends most of the days taking carry of 2-year-old nada and 1-year-old emma, a u.s. citizen. she found out she was pregnant with emma while walking through the darien gap.

>> reporter: ilie is one of 480,000 venezuelans who have crossed through the darien since 2022. one of the most punishing terrains on earth, it connects colombia to panama, allowing people to eventually reach the united states. seven months after crossing through, ilie gave birth to emma in the u.s. >> reporter: thousands of miles from ilie and her daughters is another venezuelan mother, also in a foreign country. dreaming of more.

>> reporter: melody and her family fled from colombia six years ago. her husband, hugo, works as a delivery driver while she is up at 4:00 a.m. cooking stew, sauces and empanadas on her small stove, to sell. >> reporter: short on just about everything but love. colombia is the only home little

miguel has ever known. countries like colombia and peru have taken in more venezuelans than the united states. >> we have to give credit to countries like colombia. they've given temporary protected status to over 2.5 million venezuelans. they are providing health care. they are providing education. so that is a part of the solution. the integration of migrants into these countries throughout latin america. it's a regional approach, and we need to support it. >> reporter: brendan o'brien is deputy chief of mission at the u.s. embassy in colombia. the u.s. government has committed almost $1 billion in colombia's effort to resettle venezuelan migrants. what do you think is missing from the conversation in the united states? we're talking about easing the crisis at the border. >> we're looking at expanding legal pathways, and that would be work visas or opportunities for asylum into the united states, right? and then in the long-term, i

think it's really important for the u.s. taxpayer to understand that their investment overseas at these embassies is really paying off. because it's a lot less expensive to address this issue in these countries than it is at the u.s. border. >> reporter: so many migrants here in colombia rely on the kindness of strangers just to survive everyday life. but it's also true that after years of hosting venezuelan migrants, colombian society as a whole is not as charitable as it used to be. colombia's economy, also not as strong as it once was. unable to make ends meetness, melody and her family are trying to save money to move north to the united states.

listening to their children dream puts a smile on their parents' faces. but dad, hugo, knows all too well how painful the journey ahead can be. two years ago, he headed north through the darien gap and made to it the border of guatemala and mexico, but he says he was forced to turn back by mexican authorities. but still, the parents say they need to try again.

coming up, inside that treacherous journey north. the peril and the danger. pl plus, what the u.s. government is doing in colombia. to crack down on human smugglers. [waterfall roars] want to go somewhere amazing? [engine revs] (♪) nice right? but we're not there yet... [natural sounds] not this either... (♪) still not it... finding the next epic place isn't the point.

in a nissan pathfinder, the search is the adventure. (♪) - bye, bye cough. - later chest congestion. hello 12 hours of relief. 12 hours!! mucinex dm gives you 12 hours of relief from chest congestion and any cough, day or night. mucinex dm. it's comeback season. now try mucinex instasoothe sore throat medicated drops. (chef vo) fancy feast. now trychef-inspired.soothe cat-adored. every silky broth, every impeccable paté, every delicious detail... brings you and your cat... closer together. fancy feast. love is in the details. to help protect from hiv. i prep without pills. with apretude, a prescription medicine used to reduce the risk of hiv without daily prep pills. with one shot every other month, just 6 times a year. in studies, apretude was proven superior to a daily prep pill in reducing the risk of hiv. you must be hiv negative to receive apretude and get tested before each injection. if you think you were exposed to hiv

or have flu-like symptoms, tell your doctor right away. apretude does not prevent other sexually transmitted infections. practice safer sex to reduce your risk. don't take apretude if you're allergic to it or taking certain medicines, as they may interact. tell your doctor if you've had liver problems or mental health concerns. if you have a rash or other allergic reactions, stop apretude and get medical help right away. serious side effects include allergic reactions, liver problems, and depression. some of the most common side effects include injection-site reactions and headache. you must receive apretude as scheduled. ask your doctor about long-acting apretude. and prep without pills. save at apretude.com

does it have to be like this? at kaiser permanente, we have a different kind of healthcare... so, how did you like doctor lum? ...where all of us work together for all that is you. not just any whiteboard... ...katie porter's whiteboard is one way she's: [news anchor] ...often seen grilling top executives of banks, big pharma, even top administration officials. katie porter.

never taken corporate pac money - never will. leading the fight to ban congressional stock trading. and the only democrat who opposed wasteful “earmarks” that fund politicians' pet projects. katie porter. focused on your challenges - from lowering housing costs to fighting climate change. shake up the senate - with democrat katie porter. i'm katie porter and i approve this message. ♪

"nightline" "exodus" continues. here again, matt rivers. >> high above in the skies, it's easy to be hypnotized by colombia's majesty. one of the most biologically diverse countries on earth, its nickname, "the gateway to south america." but these days, people are funneling out as fast as they can through illegal pathways in the darien gap. the once nearly impassable jungle is now a highway of migration. last year alone, a record-breaking 520,085 people made the treacherous 66-mile journey, coming from countries such as venezuela, ecuador, cuba, haiti, as far away as the middle east, asia, and africa, according to the panamanian government. is that number possible without the involvement of these transnational criminal

organizations? >> i don't believe it is. you know, these organizations are very well organized. they're very well funded. >> reporter: for many, the perilous journey begins by boat. this boat is operating with the permission of organized crime. it's filled with people who are about to knowingly illegally cross an international border. just the boat ride alone costs up to $100. then migrants have to continue to pay throughout their journey. the next stop, capua ganah, where travelers can gather supplies. most everyone crossing into the darien knows how brutal it's going to be. but their faith rarely falters.

>> reporter: here, danger takes many shapes. but nothing is more threatening than the criminal syndicates. >> these organizations are moving people through, exploiting them, taking advantage of people. >> reporter: homeland security investigations regional attache brian vicente has worked in colombia for four years. >> we're charged with disrupting, dismantling transnational criminal organizations. >> reporter: what does that translate to day to day? >> it's narcotics trafficking, weapons trafficking, human smuggling organizations. so it's up to us to work with colombian partners before people and these effects reach the united states. >> reporter: we embedded with hsi and the colombian national police to see their work

firsthand. arriving predawn at this police station in medellin. since march 2022, they've been investigating an international human smuggling operation. as the morning sun breaks over the andes, officers meticulously go over the plan and mobilize. they storm a residence they say where a suspected head of an illicit organization was last surveilled. in searching the residence, police discover suitcases containing international currencies and passports. when reached for comment, the suspect's attorney told abc news he is innocent and wrongfully accused. in total, 13 people were

arrested, including two in atlanta, georgia. while authorities in colombia believe in their work, sometimes it can feel futile. do you feel like you're making a difference, but can only do so much when migration is just going to continue? >> yes, exactly. >> reporter: diego armando is a former colombian national police officer now working with hsi. how does that make you feel when you see the fact that migrants are being exploited by organized crime? how do you feel as a colombian? >> well, for me, it's pretty sad, you know? because it's difficult for colombians to see how things are happening here. but at least working with the united states government, i can provide something. >> reporter: in bogota, melody is gathering whatever funds she can to pay for her and her family's journey north.

in new york, ilie and their family are settling into their new normal, celebrating major milestones like her daughter's birthday. they're also trying to navigate the maze of america's immigration system. the last major immigration reform in this country was 1990. 34 years later, the economy's changed. the number of people moving. the places people come from has changed. congress and the executive branch never get on the same page to try and do major reforms. >> reporter: in the last four months ago, the white house announced the expansion of temporary protected status to allow for more venezuelans to live and work legally in the country. just a month later, the federal government also resumed deportation flights to venezuela for the first time in years.

the uncertainty only fueling migration. >> the administration's trying to do two different things at the same time. they're trying to give more rights to people that are already living in this country. and at the same time dissuade new people from coming. >> reporter: ilie, working with an attorney, has applied for asylum. she's also trying to save money to apply for tps, but the cost is difficult to raise without a work permit. stay with us. (vo) explore the world the viking way from the quiet comfort of elegant small ships with no children and no casinos. we actually have reinvented ocean voyages, designing all-inclusive experiences for the thinking person. viking - voted world's best

by both travel + leisure and condé nast traveler. learn more at viking.com. there's something going around the gordon home. good thing gertrude found delsym. now what's going around is 12-hour cough relief. and the giggles. the family that takes delsym together, feels better together. did you know... 80% of women are struggling with hair damage? just like i was. dryness and frizz could be damaged hair that can't retain moisture. new pantene miracle rescue deep conditioner, with first-of-its-kind melting pro-v pearls... locks in moisture to repair 6 months of damage in one wash, without weigh down. guaranteed or your money back! for resilient, healthy-looking hair... if you know, you know it's pantene. ah mornings! cough? congestion? i'm feeling better. all in one and done with new mucinex kickstart.

headache? better now. new mucinex kickstart gives all-in-one and done relief with a morning jolt of instant cooling sensation. it's comeback season.

from the state that's already helped millions of people like you get and pay for health insurance. with financial health to lower the cost of health coverage, you could get a quality health plan for less than $10 a month. every plan covers preventive care, doctor visits, emergency care, and more. if you have questions, we're here to help every step of the way. covered california. this way to health insurance. enroll by january 31st at coveredca.com. (vo) with fargo, the new virtual assistant from wells fargo, when dad brings up the importance of... this way to health insurance. (dad) building credit. (vo) ... you're ready. (daughter cutting him off) dad. fargo, what's my fico score? (dad) wow. it's a work of art.

(vo) do you fargo? you can, with wells fargo. what else can fargo do? instantly tell you what you spend on things like food. (dad) fargo, what did i spend on groceries this month? (son) hey dad, can the guys stay for dinner? (dad) no. (vo) want faster, easier banking? you can, with wells fargo.

♪ melody intended to leave for the darien gap this month, but her plans took a major setback when a pressure cooker exploded in her kitchen.

>> reporter: ilie's daughter recently began school. her and her family's immigration process continues. ty tuned tomorrow for part two of our series "exodus." "nightline" takes a look at one of the world's deadliest migration routes, from africa to europe.