In Senegal's capital, Nicaragua is a hot ticket among travel agents as migrants try to reach US
Story by BABA AHMED, Associated Press • 7h
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Gueva Ba tried to reach Europe by boat 11 times from Morocco, failing each attempt. Then, in 2023, the former welder heard about a new route to the United States by flying to Nicaragua and making the rest of the journey illegally by land to Mexico's northern border.
“In Senegal, it’s all over the streets — everyone’s talking about Nicaragua, Nicaragua, Nicaragua," said Ba, who paid about 6 million CFA francs ($10,000) to get to Nicaragua in July with stops in Morocco, Spain and El Salvador. “It’s not something hidden.”
Ba, 40, was deported from the U.S. with 131 compatriots in September after two months in detention, but thousands of other Senegalese have gained a foothold in America. Many turn to savvy travel agents who know the route — touted on social media by those who've successfully settled in the U.S.
They are part of a surge in migration to the United States that is extraordinary for its size and scope, with more people from far-flung countries accounting for crossings at the border. And as with this route used by the Senegalese, more are figuring out plans, making payments, and seeking help via social networks, and apps like WhatsApp and TikTok.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/in-senegal-s-capital-nicaragua-is-a-hot-ticket-among-travel-agents-as-migrants-try-to-reach-us/ar-BB1jcMCf?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=4de391ce392941a7883e1a2102cbd3b9&ei=14