By The tiny midwestern town of Lockland, Ohio, is grappling with a sudden surge in its population, as more than 3,000 legal Mauritanian asylum seekers have arrived over the past year, nearly doubling the town’s size.
Lockland, located near Cincinnati, had a population of just 3,500 in 2023. Local officials say the influx of Mauritanian migrants, many of whom are not able to work and pay taxes, has put a strain on the town’s resources and emergency services.
“If you look at 2021, 2022, the United States had seen a huge influx of immigrants from Mauritania,” Lockland Village Administrator Doug Wehmeyer told Fox News Digital. “Somehow, a good number of them have landed in Lockland.”
Social media, particularly TikTok, has played a significant role in the sudden deluge of migrants. Videos posted on the platform outline a route from Mauritania to Turkey, then through South America to the U.S., with a stop in Managua, Nicaragua, where relaxed entry requirements allow Mauritanians to purchase low-cost visas without proof of onward travel.
“The American dream is still available,” promises one TikTok video. “Don’t put off tomorrow what you can do today.”
Lockland Mayor Mark Mason attributes the “explosion” in the town’s population to these TikTok videos and has called for changes to the Biden administration’s border policies. “If they’re going to have an open border policy, they’re going to need a policy to direct these immigrants to communities that can withstand that kind of population outburst,” he said. “1.2 square mile village — it’s unsustainable.”
The influx has also led to a projected $200,000 shortfall in the town’s income tax revenue, as many of the Mauritanian migrants are unable to work. Additionally, the fire service has seen a 12 percent increase in call-outs this year, largely due to the cramped living conditions of the migrants, with up to a dozen people living in each of the approximately 200 housing units.
The sudden arrival of Mauritanians has surprised U.S. officials, as it occurred without a triggering event such as a natural disaster or political upheaval. Some of the new arrivals say they are fleeing state violence and racial tensions in Mauritania, particularly in the wake of the death of a young black man, Oumar Diop, in police custody.
