The group of African men had waited anxiously all night for the announcement of the gate for the Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Bogota.
Tens of thousands who make the trek each month camped out on the ground, using their tiny backpacks as makeshift pillows as new updates flashed on the airport’s bright blue departure screens.
“Where does it come from?” asked Latif Abubaker, a 26-year-old Ghanaian citizen, shortly after 6 a.m. on Wednesday. Flight TK800 will not take off for another four hours.
“D13, I told you.” His friend and compatriot Morgan Obu, 29, replied, his voice shaking with excitement: “We have to get there early.”
The couple, who refused to be photographed, had traveled from their home in Accra to Turkey’s largest city via Marrakech, Morocco.
Migrants are lining up to board the flight that will take them to a new life they hope will take place in the United States
Most of the seats on the plane that flew from the city between Europe and Asia to South America’s third largest city were filled with passengers from the African continent
There wasn’t a single seat left on a normally half-booked flight before this new human smuggling route to the United States became known
Alhassane told that he paid $12,000 for his trip from Dakar, Senegal’s capital, to Bogota. He was in business class, where he ordered a second helping of lamb
A typical route from the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott takes migrants on four flights over more than 11,000 miles before embarking on a long and dangerous overland journey through Central America and Mexico
Because Istanbul-Bogota is currently the hottest flight ticket in the city for many young Africans who want to earn more money or escape alleged persecution in their homeland.
This is the Biden Express, the first leg of a major new smuggling route across the Atlantic that will ultimately allow migrants to flow into the United States — and in many cases, stay there.
Greedy people smugglers grab places and then sell them on to desperate migrants at hugely inflated prices.
managed to buy two tickets for a flight early Wednesday morning and follow about 150 young Africans who will try to secretly enter the United States.
Most of the seats on the plane that flew from the city between Europe and Asia to South America’s third largest city were filled with passengers from the African continent.
We were told the next available seat on this daily route is October 20th, but this is almost certainly full by now.
So-called “travel agencies,” many based in Africa itself, offer “all-inclusive” packages on TikTok for up to $10,000, including transit visas and onward travel from Colombia.
This is simply a euphemism for the human smuggling trade, with the market for illegal border crossings into the US alone estimated to be worth up to $12 billion each year.
Migrants believe the current Biden administration’s policies will give them a fairer chance at a fresh start in America.
From Bogotá they fly directly to El Salvador and then to Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, where lenient immigration laws under the government of left-wing leader Daniel Ortega allow many African nationals to purchase so-called tourist visas.
Turkish Airlines employees check documents as Flight 800 fills up for the 13-hour flight that gives thousands of Africans hope for a new life in the United States each week
Fall, a 28-year-old Mauritanian national, was one of the Africans on board the Biden Express after sleeping on the airport floor for two days. His dream is to become a soccer coach in the USA
A migrant passes the hours charging his cell phone at Istanbul Airport
Guinean Aissa Ba was one of the unlucky ones. Airline employees discovered that their documents were fake. I paid over $10,000 for this trip. “I can’t believe this is happening to me,” she said
Morgan Obu’s documents, supposedly from the Colombian government, were found to be forged and he was not allowed to board
One of those on board the flight was Ahmed Samba, a 33-year-old man dressed in traditional Islamic clothing under a Western jacket who comes from the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott.
His Ghanaian colleagues slept on the airport floor the night after flying in from his hometown on another Turkish Airlines plane late on Tuesday.
Ahmed initially told that he would be spending four weeks “on vacation” in Nicaragua.
But over burgers and fries for breakfast, the unmarried language teacher revealed his true intentions of entering the USA from Mexico.
“In about three weeks I will make it to ‘Allah’ in the United States,” Ahmed Samba, 33, a language teacher from Mauritania, told
“America is the land of freedom and human rights,” he declared, switching effortlessly between English and French as he ate his Burger King meal before boarding the plane.
“What Joe Biden is doing is good.” But if Donald Trump is re-elected next year, it will be more difficult for migrants there. The guy is crazy.’
Ahmed wanted to know how he could apply for asylum and whether he could be given an address to give to U.S. Border and Customs officials after his arrest.
He knew he would be released immediately and move freely in the country ahead of a possible asylum hearing, a process that could take years due to a backlog of cases.
And strangely, this young man said that he had not faced any persecution at home and described the former French colony as “a rich country” thanks to its enormous mineral wealth and oil and gas reserves.
“But nothing is really organized there.” “You need connections to make it,” said Ahmed, clutching his travel documents tightly under his arm.
“I think I’ll go to New York or Atlanta.” Many Mauritanians already live there.’
His compatriot Fall, a 28-year-old soccer player, said he plans to enter the United States to pursue a career as a coach for young people.
“I tried to convince a lot of people in Mauritania to introduce me to trials in Europe, but it just didn’t work,” he said as he showed a photo on his phone of himself in his backyard in Nouakchott performed tricks. “I’m a sporty guy and I think I could easily find work in this field.”
“I will do anything to get to America. From what I’ve seen, once you get to the border, it’s easy to get in.”
The Mauritanian national had been sleeping at the airport for two days before waiting for his chance to board the plane to Colombia.
The Turkish Airlines flight is the longest flight most migrants take, but they often bring three or four more with them on their journey to the New World
Flight 800 is filled to capacity every day. was told there was a place available on October 20 – but it is now almost certainly fully booked
Finally it’s over. Tired travelers get off the plane in Bogotá. Now they have to prepare themselves for the further journey to the USA
He too had decided to gather with some of his compatriots at D13 – the wrong gate.
The migrants seem to believe that they can avoid meaningful inspection of their travel documents by showing up hours before the flight. A man, a devout Muslim, prays while he waits.
Some of them will soon find out how misguided they are.
“You’re completely wrong,” Ahmed said. “It’s next. See!’
It’s just after 8:30 a.m. and the departure screen now reads D11, but the boarding area has already been completely cordoned off by Turkish Airlines staff in preparation for checks.
Migrant Moustapha Ba posted a picture of himself “on the way to Nicaragua” – and received almost 3,300 likes
A handful of confused Colombians heading home are already waiting in an orderly line that soon becomes a chaotic mass of migrants. They seem stunned by the sheer numbers.
While half of this plane’s passengers are African men, also saw several male travelers waving passports from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, two former Soviet dictatorships.
Ahmed and Fall, who flew together on another Turkish Airlines flight from Mauritania, appear relaxed as they patiently wait for their travel documents to be verified by airport officials.
But others panic because they realize that their American dream will soon be shattered.
Aissa Ba, a 28-year-old Guinean who has lived in South Africa for six years, flees to another gate and sits down on a chair, hand in hand, after being told to turn back.
She was told she did not have the correct transit visa.
“I paid over $10,000 for this trip.” “I can’t believe this is happening to me,” she told . “I spent everything I had.”
Two Ghanaians, Morgan and Latif, and another man, Bouriema from Burkina Faso, protest bitterly when told they will not board the plane today.
The check-in staff suspects their Colombian visas are fake. The trio claimed they were only flying to Bogota for an “educational exchange program” for a Ghana-based charity.
This story did not convince airport officials.
“If you don’t like it, complain to customer service,” one of the employees calls back.
‘Help me. “Please,” Bouriema begged when spoke to him. “They won’t let me on board. Try to convince them that these are the right papers for Colombia.”
In fact, the otherwise convincing documents are actually forgeries, purchased for $500 from a “travel agent” in Marrakech.
The design looks like it comes from the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but once you scan the “Visa” QR code, you are redirected to a fake German-registered website.
recently traveled to Lukeville, Arizona, and saw at least 600 migrants, many of them from Africa, crossing the border in one day
French-language advertisements promising a trip to Nicaragua are widespread on social media in several African countries. On the left it says, “You must be financially prepared and ready for adventure.” Once you arrive in Mexico, you will enter the United States without worries, so relax.” On the right it says, “Buy your plane ticket.” Get your approval. No visa required
Officials detected 144,000 migrants entering from Mexico in June, but now the numbers are starting to rise again: Officials detected 183,000 in July, the most recent month for which data is available
“Maybe you can convince them that I was cheated and let me board the flight?” Bouriema spoke up somewhat optimistically. “Or should I call my ambassador?”
Ultimately, he is left behind and given the choice of either returning home or trying to apply for asylum in Turkey, which is already taking in four million Syrian refugees.
As the crowd of migrants waited in the boarding area, some were so eager to board the plane that they began pushing their way to the front of the line, angering some passengers.
“Business class only for now,” shouted a Turkish Airlines employee.
One by one, these potential future Americans pile onto the plane and squeeze into their seats.
There wasn’t a single seat left on a normally half-booked flight before this new smuggling route to the United States became known.
The smell of stale sweat fills the air as you walk through the cabin. Many of these passengers had slept at Istanbul Airport for up to two days.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s policy allows migrants to enter the country for just $160 and then continue their journey to the United States
And up to 16 would-be asylum seekers have secured a place in business class after failing to secure the cheaper option from the smuggling gangs.
Three of these passengers, a Senegalese and two Guineans, appear to have not eaten for hours as they gorge themselves on the free gourmet food on offer.
They keep calling the increasingly frustrated flight attendants to order additional portions of their main course, grilled lamb chops.
Alhassane, one of the Guineans, told that he paid $12,000 for his trip from Dakar, Senegal’s capital, to Bogota.
“I’m from Sierra Leone,” he claimed bizarrely, pocketing his Guinean passport after being pressed in French about his future travel plans.
This young “procurement and logistics” student refused to say how he raised the money for a ticket that most hard-working Americans can only dream of affording.
The average annual salary in this West African country is just under $10,000.
“I’m just coming here for a university conference and to stay with a friend,” he said, denying that he had any intention of flying on to Nicaragua.
But Alhassane admitted he plans to pursue a career in Boston after graduation “because I have a brother there who just got a green card.”
It refers to the permanent residency document granted to aliens who live and work legally in the United States. It gives the holder the opportunity to apply for American citizenship.
“He’s been there since 2015 and says it’s a great place to live.”
When the plane arrived at the gate in Bogotá, the migrants laboriously grabbed their luggage and pulled out their boarding passes for their next destination: El Salvador.
followed Alhassane off the plane, where passports and onward travel documents were immediately checked by Colombian immigration officials.
Colombian, British and American passport holders are waved through, but African passengers are questioned about their onward journey.
‘Where are you going?’ an officer asked Alhassane in French.
‘Nicaragua. “On vacation,” the young Guinean answered in the language he apparently hadn’t spoken hours before.
He may continue without further questions.
Ahmed Samba is among the last group of passengers to disembark. He’s now wearing a black Covid mask, but his relief at making it to this side of the Atlantic is still written on his face.
“In about three weeks I’ll make it to ‘Allah’ in the United States,” he told before turning right toward the international departure hall.
He and the other migrants will spend the night there before taking the now infamous flight to El Salvador the next day.
They all took the first crucial step toward reaching the U.S.-Mexico border.