Ohio faces influx of Mauritanian migrants, thanks to instructions for illegal entry posted on social media

07/19/2024 / By Ava Grace

The state of Ohio is facing an influx of migrants from the African nation of Mauritania, mainly spurred on by instructions on getting there that have made the rounds on social media.

According to FOX 19, these Mauritanian nationals are finding their way to the Buckeye State based on a route posted on TikTok and WhatsApp. This route traverses from Mauritania to Turkey, then to either Central or South America before finally arriving to the United States. An immigration loophole in Nicaragua that allows relaxed entry requirements and a low-cost visa without proof of onward travel also contributes to the issue, according to the local Cincinnati news channel.

Mauritanian migrants are then smuggled illegally from Nicaragua to the U.S. southern border. They then seek asylum before settling in cities such as Cincinnati and Lockland, the latter located north of the Queen City. Based on data from Customs and Border Protection, more than 8,500 Mauritanians arrived in the U.S. from March to June – up from around 1,000 during the four months prior. (Related: Report: 99% of illegals and border crossers are LIVING FREELY across the United States.)

FOX 19 also noted that approximately 1,000 Mauritanians have arrived in Cincinnati over the past few weeks. John Keuffer, CEO of Valley Interfaith Community Resource Center (VICRC), said 100 migrants came to their location.

“We just had 1,000 Africans show up in the community,” he told FOX 19. “We don’t know where they came from. We don’t know how to communicate with them. It created quite an issue for us.”

While the Mauritanian migrants have been settling in Ohio to escape state violence, a communication gap has appeared between residents and the new arrivals. Mauritania’s official language is Arabic, which means the migrants can’t speak English. A few speak French, which is widely used in Mauritanian society.

According to the Associated Press, Mauritania was one of the last countries to criminalize slavery and the practice persists in some parts of the country.

English-speaking Mauritanian migrants bridge the communication gap

Khalidou Syc, an English-speaking Mauritanian migrant who works with the VICRC, serves as the bridge between the new arrivals and the residents. He arrived in the U.S. seven months ago, and volunteered to help Keuffer’s organization with data entry tasks. Syc isn’t alone in this tasks, however, as he and a few others are helping close the communication gap.

“Many people have died on the roads coming here,” the English-speaking migrant said. “Many have been raped and stuff taken in. Many are still stuck somewhere in South America for months.”

Migrants have been shopping with volunteers while they seek work permits. They hope this is temporary and they can get work permits and work to be self-sufficient. “You can’t build any foundation without having a basic resource, which is your ability to feed yourself and your family,” Syc commented.

The surge in migrants is reportedly straining resources in Cincinnati, with the Washington Post highlighting the impact on local residents. Poorer citizens sometimes feel shortchanged at food pantries, and emergency services in smaller communities like Lockland are overwhelmed with calls from overcrowded housing. Early migrants are also feeling the pressure as they strive to support new arrivals while pursuing their aspirations.

This situation in Cincinnati is part of a broader challenge facing communities across the country. Critics argue that the Biden administration’s immigration policies, which they describe as promoting open borders, are contributing to significant societal strain.

Head over to Migrants.news for more stories like this.

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