Number of African illegal immigrants to US skyrockets as Europe clamps down

In 2023, the number of African illegal immigrants who have been apprehended at the southern border has hit over 58,000. That is up more than four times the amount in 2022, according to government data obtained by the New York Times.

On the other hand, several countries in the European Union have been tightening their borders.

As of Dec. 20, a pact was signed by nations in the EU in order to tighten immigration and implement a "common system for managing migration in the EU." The system includes more screening requirements and a common database that are meant to increase security on their borders.

This all is happening against the backdrop of record-level illegal immigration coming into the US. In December, over 300,000 illegal immigrants came across the southern border. Sanctuary cities such as Chicago and New York have been facing financial stress because of the influx of migrants being dropped off by buses or other modes of transportation.

It has come to a point in New York City that the local government has brought a $700 million lawsuit against a bus company that has facilitated the migration of many different foreign nationals up from the southern border.

Many of the illegal immigrants coming from Africa have done so through the country of Nicaragua to bypass the dangerous Darien Gap jungle. Smugglers can use social media to coordinate with migrants to get them on what is called a "donkey flight" to get them to South American countries where there are low requirements. Many are then bussed to the US southern border.

Mohamed Aweineny, an immigrant from West Africa who arrived in Columbia before coming to the US told a reporter of his travels, "I followed the internet to learn how to get to America without a visa."

As a result of the mass influx of immigration, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has gotten pressure from Republicans and the media.

Mayorkas, appearing on Fox, would not directly answer if he would accept funding from the Republicans if the funding was only limited to border security instead of the processing of migrants into the interior of the US.

There have been several calls for Mayorkas' impeachment as a result of the policies that have led to the mass influx of illegal migration.