the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
Jan 29, 2024
The number of workers and poor from the African continent seeking refuge at the U.S. southern border has grown dramatically over the last year. During 2023, 58,462 African migrants were arrested at the border, more than four times the number from the previous year.
Migrants are fleeing rampant joblessness, economic chaos, brutal military rule, effects of global warming, and growing dominance of armed gangs that prey on the population.
Europe has increasingly blocked Africans from getting there. Recently France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain have struck deals with Tunisia and Morocco to intercept migrants in transit to Europe. And in late 2023, the European Union signed a pact to facilitate the deportation of asylum seekers and limit migration.
So, more are trying to get to the U.S., despite the difficulties of the trip. African migrants often fly from Morocco to Nicaragua. Then they try to trek to the U.S. through Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico.
Over the last century, the forces of imperialism have heaped unimaginable misery on the African population. Just one result is that Africa is the poorest continent in terms of living conditions. Yet it remains the richest in terms of its underground resources and one of the biggest targets of the imperialist vultures today. No wonder large sections of the population attempt to flee to one of the rich countries that has plundered their continent.