In 2005, 10,000 West African migrants heading for Europe were stranded in the Mauritanian port of Nouadhibou, and 20,000 sub-Saharan African migrants were waiting for an opportunity to cross to Europe in the Spanish enclaves in North Africa.

Linda Pressly follows the migrants heading north through Guatemala into Mexico - despite the dangers of kidnap by the notorious Zetas gang.

Adding to North Stonington's decline in population was that an increasing number of the town's youth were joining the wave of migrants heading west to try their fortunes on the frontier.

Part of the economy here is catering to the migrants heading north with guesthouses, hotels, restaurants and stores selling jackets and blankets.

And in Tijuana - a former hub for migrants heading north, which now receives more deportees than anywhere else - the pool of deportees preparing to cross again just keeps growing.

Tijuana, across the border from San Diego, used to be a hub for migrants heading north.

Central American migrants heading north to the United States fear that they are increasingly in danger of being kidnapped and murdered by drug gangs expanding their criminal operations south from Mexico.

Inside, two tiers of seats fixed in semi-reclining position were already crammed with the blankets, coats and food of three dozen other migrants heading home for Chinese New Year this month.

Some army general had taken control of the state during the chaos of the attacks and decided he didn't like the migrants heading east across his land, with the lethal fallout clouds churning at their backs.