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Aisalkyn and her household made 17 makes an attempt to cross the U.S.-Mexico border earlier than they succeeded this summer season.
The household from Kyrgyzstan paid hundreds of {dollars} to human traffickers to smuggle them to Mexico, from the place they illegally entered america.
Aisalkyn, who didn’t need to give her full title, mentioned the household “drove via a ditch” and “crawled beneath a fence” in the course of the evening to cross the U.S. border.
She and her household are among the many a whole lot of unlawful migrants from Kyrgyzstan who attempt to attain america by way of Mexico yearly to safe a greater life.
The migrants pay numerous journey companies and other people smugglers to take them to Mexico, in a dangerous journey that may take months. A number of the migrants find yourself in jails in Mexico whereas others die through the arduous journey, in response to members of the Kyrgyz diaspora in america.
Even after getting into america, many nonetheless face the danger of deportation or find yourself residing there illegally. Their immigration hearings can take years, and there’s no assure they are going to be granted asylum.
Regardless of the dangers concerned, the variety of Central Asian migrants making an attempt to enter america has proven no indicators of abating.
The precise variety of Kyrgyz migrants who’ve entered america from Mexico is unknown as a result of lots of them, together with Aisalkyn, maintain Russian passports. They usually begin their journeys in Russia, paying non-public Russian firms to take them to Mexico by way of a number of nations.
“We flew from [the Russian city of] Sochi to Istanbul, then to Cancun in Mexico, then went to Tijuana and Mexicali,” Aisalkyn mentioned. “In Tijuana, [the traffickers] demanded $2,000 per grownup and $800 per baby to assist us cross the [U.S.] border. We tried many occasions. We tried by foot and twice by automotive. On our seventeenth failed try, Border Patrol officers seized our car.”
Aisalkyn and her household spent a number of days at a U.S. detention facility earlier than being launched pending an immigration listening to.
Aisalkyn’s journey has been comparatively brief and simple compared to another Kyrgyz migrants who ended up in Mexican prisons for months, have been robbed or overwhelmed, and even misplaced their lives whereas making an attempt to achieve america, says Zhakshylyk Murat, the coordinator of a Kyrgyz diaspora group in Chicago.
Murat mentioned solely a number of dozen Kyrgyz lived in Chicago when he first arrived within the metropolis in 2008. That determine is now practically 10,000, together with nearly 2,000 youngsters who have been born in Chicago, he says. “Over the previous two years, I’ve met many Kyrgyz individuals who had come right here by way of Mexico. A lot of them approached us for assist. We are able to present ethical assist, however we won’t provide monetary assist,” Murat mentioned.
In keeping with Murat, a wave of Kyrgyz college students arrived in america between 2008 and 2015. Most of them didn’t return residence after their scholar visas expired. He mentioned this led to the cancellation of many U.S. education schemes for Kyrgyz college students. It additionally turned tougher for Kyrgyz college students to get U.S. visas, he mentioned.
Unrealistic Expectations
Murat urges Kyrgyz residents to make use of solely authorized avenues for shifting to United States, together with making use of for a Inexperienced Card. He additionally warned them about having unrealistic expectations about financial alternatives in america.
Murat, who additionally owns a transport firm, says many Kyrgyz are tempted by “incorrect data unfold by some bloggers” which you could earn $25,000 to $30,000 a month as a industrial truck driver in america. In Kyrgyzstan, a mean driver earns round $60 to $120 a month, Murat provides.
“In actuality, truck drivers in america could make about $10,000 a month after bills resembling gasoline, lease, and insurance coverage are paid. However there are unexpected bills. For instance, the car can break down or different accidents can occur,” Murat defined. “Moreover, the trucking enterprise has slowed down right here not too long ago as a result of inflation.”
Poverty, corruption, and a scarcity of alternatives in Kyrgyzstan, one of many poorest nations in Central Asia, have pressured some to seek for a greater life overseas. In keeping with official figures, some 1.2 million Kyrgyz — out of a inhabitants of round 6.7 million — are working overseas.
The overwhelming majority of them work in Russia, a serious vacation spot for Central Asian migrant staff.
In keeping with Kyrgyzstan’s Overseas Ministry, round 26,000 Kyrgyz stay in america. However it’s unclear if that determine contains Kyrgyz nationals who entered america with Russian passports and those that stay there illegally.
The Kyrgyz authorities has repeatedly warned its residents to not danger their lives by making an attempt to illegally attain america or different international nations.
A lot of the migrants making an attempt to enter america from Mexico are from Central and South America. However lately, an growing variety of individuals from Africa and Asia are additionally selecting this harmful route.
Written by Farangis Najibullah primarily based on reporting by Kanymgul Elkeeva of RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service
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