A Kenyan was among thousands caught on Tuesday this week trying to cross into the United States from Mexico using a gap in the border wall.
According to patrol agents manning the border, the Kenyan was among thousands caught red-handed trying to enter the US illegally through a gap in the wall in Arizona.
To underscore the trouble that the immigrants went through, those who managed to sneak into the country trekked overnight covering a 23-kilometre distance to Arizona in search of greener pastures.
Kenyans are among groups of immigrants who make the torturous journey across countries in search of better livelihoods for themselves and their families. Other citizens who frequently make the same journey come from Senegal, Bangladesh and China.
On average, over 2,700 immigrants are arrested daily in Arizona trying to gain illegal entry to the US which has prompted patrol agents to seek help from federal agencies.
Due to the sheer number of people trying to make the crossover, the United States government has indefinitely shut down the international crossing between Lukeville, Arizona and Sonoyta, Mexico.
“The agency also has partially closed a few other border ports of entry in recent months, including a pedestrian crossing in San Diego and a bridge in Eagle Pass, Texas,” a statement from patrol agents read in part.
One of the migrants who was arrested alongside the Kenyan noted that she was fleeing insecurity in her home country.
Some of those caught cited economic hardships as the main factor driving them to undertake the dangerous trip to the West.
In Kenya, many citizens are grappling with a high cost of living which has encouraged residents to seek jobs abroad.
Instructively, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Thursday told graduates to seek employment opportunities outside Kenyan borders to escape the rigours of unemployment on Kenyan shores.
This is in line with President William Ruto’s vision to export over 3,000 Kenyans weekly to work in foreign nations.
