In the United States, 427 illegal Togolese nationals are about to be deported to their country of origin. The announcement was made by Mary Sturgis, consular officer at the U.S. Embassy in Lomé, against a backdrop of tightening U.S. migration policies. The Togolese are part of a vast census of over a million people identified as living illegally on American soil.
Ms. Sturgis recommends voluntary return to avoid harsher penalties, up to and including a permanent ban on entering the USA. She also warns of the dangers of falsifying documents and misusing tourist or student visas to work, practices considered very serious under US law.
The consular officer reminds us, however, that there are legal ways of gaining access to the United States, such as the visa lottery, work visas and family reunification. She urges young Togolese to give priority to these procedures, stressing the importance of respecting the law to avoid serious consequences. This message comes at a time when many would-be emigrants still rely on fraudulent procedures, often risking their future.
Editorial staff
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