The number of illegal African migrants “apprehended” after crossing our southern border mushroomed in 2023 to 58,462, up from just 13,406 in 2022. Overall, that was only a fraction of the 2.5 million encountered, but the potential number given the rate of increase is staggering. (As always, it should be noted that these statistics include only those actually caught by the Border Patrol. An unknown number of “got-aways” — which may number many times the official figure — got across unnoticed.)
Illegal migration from the Dark Continent used to be so little that the US classified African migrants as “other.” Not anymore. Today, migrants from the 54 African countries are surging, with no end in sight. The surge is primarily driven by dissatisfaction with their own country’s economy (52 percent of all young Africans want to migrate, a percentage rising to 75 percent in countries such as Nigeria and Sudan), a crackdown by many European countries on their entry, and a general feeling that the US under Joe Biden has put out a big, friendly welcome mat with their name on it.
Getting to America is not exactly easy, but a true and tested procedure is now in place. Migrants fly to Nicaragua, which places no restrictions on incoming Africans, thus avoiding Panama’s infamous Darien Gap. They then travel by foot, car, train, etc, up through Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico until they reach the US border. Then it gets easier.
New York Times reporters recently interviewed more than a dozen African migrants in San Diego, who had surrendered at the border to the Border Patrol. They said they were then bused to a processing facility. After “processing,” they were released with documents noting a court date in the city where they told the officials they were headed.
While the so-called asylum seekers are subject to be deported if their petitions are turned down (most historically do not qualify), deportation is a hit-or-miss proposition. Under Biden, it is overwhelmingly miss. For one thing, many African countries are glad their citizens are gone and don’t want them back, and more importantly, there is no motivation on the part of Biden to send them home. After all, given an amnesty or two, each is an almost-guaranteed future Democrat voter.
Kwaheri*, America.
For more, see the NY Times.
[“Goodbye,” Swahili]