In a sign that illegally crossing into the US from Mexico is getting more difficult, smugglers are significantly increasing their fees. The Mexican newspaper Excelsior is reporting that the average cost to each migrant for being guided across the border has doubled, from $5,000 to a minimum of $10,000.
The staff at a shelter in Sonora, Mexico, told the Excelsior that African, Asian, and Central American migrants told them they first noticed an increase last summer, as enforcement activities were increased and policies in the United States were changed leading up to the November election. With the eventual election of Donald Trump, the fee inflation increased, as migrants sought to cross into the US while Joe Biden was still at the helm.
The fees quoted in general apply only to travel through Mexico and across the border. Migrants from farther away sometimes pay far more, with some Chinese paying up to $55,000 per person. Migrants from North Africa and the Middle East are charged higher fees also, due to their being classified as “Special Interest Aliens.”
The newspaper noted that smugglers often charge significantly higher fees for additional services, such as transportiang migrants in vehicles across private properties. Those fees can range from $15,000 to $20,000.
For more, see the Excelsior website (Spanish).