U.S.-bound Africans Stranded in Costa Rica

By Kausha Luna on June 2, 2016

Hundreds of African illegal aliens are collecting at Costa Rica's northern border, hoping to cross into Nicaragua and continue on to the United States.

In November, the government of Nicaragua closed its border and increased its military presence in response to the flows of Cuban illegal aliens crossing from Costa Rica.

Since April, approximately 800 African illegal aliens have been granted "parole" by the Costa Rican government, which permits them to leave the detention centers under the condition that they return every 15 days to check in. According to the subdirector of Costa Rica's Immigration, only 10 of the 811 Africans that received this free transit benefit have checked back in with Immigration.

The majority of the African migrants have ignored the 15-day provision and made their way to the northern border of Costa Rica. These illegal aliens arrive at the northern border via buses, vans, private cars, with coyotes, taxi drivers, or by asking for a ride.

Now that they are at the Costa Rica-Nicaragua border, the African migrants want the Costa Rican government to persuade the Nicaraguan president to let them pass.

The number of African migrants has been on the rise since April. Every day there are more Africans scattered across the Costa Rican border, looking for blind spots in order to cross into Nicaragua. Hundreds of these migrants have also moved westward to Puerto Soley, along the Pacific Coast, and are waiting for an opportunity to reach San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, by boat.