Baba, a mechanic from the West African nation of Mauritania, threw himself to the ground and prayed seconds after squeezing through the steel fence at the Mexican border in Arizona. He enthusiastically exclaimed, ‘Joe Biden opened the door for us,’ as dusk fell and the migrants awaited processing by U.S. authorities. Baba, like many others, saw this as an opportunity for a new life in America and expressed his gratitude towards President Biden’s border control policies. However, amid this narrative, there is another individual to whom Baba should truly be thankful – Daniel Ortega, the long-time strongman in Nicaragua.
Daniel Ortega, a close ally of late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro and a staunch adversary of the United States, is playing an increasingly significant role in the migrant crisis. DailyMail.com has discovered that Nicaragua is allowing people from all over the world to enter the country for a fee of $160, and then turning a blind eye to their subsequent movements. The ease of entry for nationals of several African countries, in particular, is noteworthy. They can acquire a low-cost visa upon arrival in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, without the need for proof of onward travel. Baba, among countless others, claimed to have paid the $160 fee for the necessary paperwork to enter Nicaragua.
Officials in Nicaragua appear to be overlooking the lucrative people-smuggling business that is thriving right under their noses, effectively creating a backdoor into the United States. In fact, smugglers have been boasting on TikTok about how potential asylum-seekers are guaranteed entry into America once they reach the US-Mexico border. They entice individuals with promises of worry-free entry and cheap airfares from West Africa. The beneficiaries of these sales remain unknown, but the suspicions surrounding Daniel Ortega’s involvement, given his longstanding hostility towards the United States, are substantial. Furthermore, the timing of this influx of migrants, just a year before a highly contested presidential election, raises questions about potential political maneuvering.
Baba’s journey to the United States led him through Lukeville, Arizona, a small town across the border from Sonoyta in the Mexican state of Sonora. DailyMail.com witnessed the entry of at least 600 migrants in Lukeville over the weekend. Coyotes, paid to escort them, helped them navigate holes in the fence intended to keep them out. For many migrants, this marked the end of a month-long journey. Baba himself traveled over 11,300 miles by air and had an additional 3,000-mile trek on land. His determination to reach Arizona was evident as he spoke passionately about escaping the repression in Mauritania.
The State Department has reported widespread arbitrary arrests and torture in Mauritania, along with serious restrictions on freedom of expression. Slavery was only banned in the country in 1981, making it the last nation on earth to do so. However, rights groups assert that the practice remains prevalent. Baba joined forces with three other men for the final leg of their journey from Nicaragua – a fellow Mauritanian, a Senegalese, and an individual from Chad. Each had their own reasons for leaving their respective countries, ranging from war and terror attacks to seeking better economic opportunities.
The sharp increase in the number of African migrants coincides with the abolishment of Title 42, a Trump-era coronavirus policy, which allowed for the immediate expulsion of asylum seekers. Border agents detected 144,000 migrants entering from Mexico in June, and the numbers are continuing to rise, with 183,000 spotted in July alone. DailyMail.com witnessed the constant cat-and-mouse game between smugglers and overworked border agents at the steel fence in Lukeville. It is estimated by authorities that over 2,000 migrants enter the U.S. daily in the immediate vicinity, highlighting the overwhelming challenges faced by border control.
The border region between Mexico and Arizona, spanning 262 miles from the state border with New Mexico to Yuma, has seen a substantial influx of illegal border crossings. In July, around 39,000 individuals were apprehended in this particular area, up from 24,000 the previous month. Among the swarm of migrants observed by DailyMail.com, not all were of African descent. There were also significant numbers of individuals from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, as well as families from Latin America.
As the day neared its end, DailyMail.com witnessed another group of 70 African migrants being dropped off by large white semis near the Café El Trocadero, a well-known smuggling hotspot along the border. With the fence effortlessly cut open, they freely crossed into the United States. However, their movements are closely monitored by border patrol mobile observation units positioned on nearby hills.
Thus, from the perspective of Baba and countless others, the path to America led through Managua, but the driving forces behind this migration extend far beyond the Mexican border.
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