Overview of We Followed the World’s Deadliest Illegal Mass Migration Route
This episode / documentary (Tucker Carlson Network) follows two American filmmakers — brothers who spent ~2.5 months and ~$25k — as they trace a migration route from Mauritania (West Africa) to the Canary Islands, then mainland Spain, France and the UK. The film presents firsthand interviews, undercover footage and on-the-ground encounters to argue that a coordinated system of smugglers, NGOs and complicit governments is enabling large-scale illegal migration into Europe, producing social strain and security risks.
Key findings and main claims
- Route mapped: Mauritania → Canary Islands (El Hierro) → mainland Spain → France → United Kingdom. Mauritania identified as a major launch point because of geography and existing networks.
- Alleged organized criminal economy: Interviewees claim the mafia/organized smugglers earn €50,000–€60,000 per boat arrival.
- Accusations of corruption and misuse of EU funds: A filmed IOM (International Organization for Migration) worker asserts Spain receives large EU funds for migration control, and part is siphoned/paid in cash to local actors to keep flows “managed” rather than stopped.
- NGOs and international agencies implicated: The film names the UN/IOM, Red Cross, Norwegian Refugee Council, Catholic charities (including ASM), and Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society as active along the route; filmmaker alleges some are complicit or corrupt.
- Demographics and behavior: Filmmakers report arrivals are overwhelmingly men, often young and “high-testosterone”; they describe multiple violent or aggressive encounters (including an attack near the Eiffel Tower) and assert issues of assimilation and public-order impact.
- State response and legality: Filmmakers say EU privacy/filming laws and asylum/refugee legal frameworks (1951 convention / 1967 protocol / 1980 U.S. Refugee Act) limit accountability; they argue political incentives (EU funding, election politics) and lack of public pressure allow the system to continue.
- Warning about long-term effects: The documentary frames the flows as an “existential threat” to European (and Western) cultural and demographic identity, arguing the situation can be stopped but may require major political change.
Notable scenes and evidence cited
- Undercover meeting with a man wearing a UN/IOM vest who, on camera, describes how migrants are processed, paid, and moved. The filmmakers claim he admitted corrupt practices and selling arrival data.
- Footage of a bus carrying newly arrived migrants on El Hierro being tailed to a reception camp.
- A confrontational street encounter in Paris near the Eiffel Tower where the filmmakers were assaulted, lost equipment, and (they claim) police did not make arrests.
- Conversation with a UN representative claiming cash payments and suitcase transfers as part of the transactional system between European governments and local actors.
- Visits to NGO facilities in France (including a “queer migrants only” shelter segment) and Catholic charity centers that assist in asylum applications and relocations.
- Claims that migrants are routinely given plane tickets from the islands to Madrid/Barcelona and then housed in camps for months or years while awaiting papers.
Named organizations and actors mentioned
- International Organization for Migration (IOM) — repeatedly referenced as the UN migration arm active on the route.
- Red Cross; Norwegian Refugee Council; Catholic charities; ASM (an organization said to fly migrants from Canary Islands to mainland); Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (board link to Alejandro Mayorkas referenced).
- Spanish government and EU institutions are accused of receiving and distributing funds tied to migration control.
- Criminal smuggling networks (referred to generally as “mafia” or smugglers).
Methods and production notes
- Two-person reporting team (the filmmakers are brothers). They emphasize being independent, not affiliated with intelligence services.
- On-the-ground reporting: travel to Mauritania, Canary Islands, Spain, France, UK; hidden-camera interviews and tailing operations.
- Cost estimate: ~ $20–30k (reported ~$25k).
- Legal/operational constraints cited: EU privacy and filming rules, potential risk of detention or legal action while filming in Europe.
Main implications and calls to action in the piece
- The filmmakers argue the flows are politically enabled and financially incentivized; they call for investigations, audits, and prosecutions of NGOs and government actors allegedly involved.
- They frame the situation as urgent and reversible only with decisive political pressure from native populations and stronger border controls.
- The piece urges viewers to watch the full documentary (Replacing Europe) for the full evidence trail.
Limitations, caveats and context for readers
- The film presents a strongly partisan, alarmist narrative (it uses charged terms and frames migration as “national suicide” / “invasion”). The summary above reflects claims made on camera, not independently verified facts.
- Many allegations (cash payments, siphoning of EU funds, criminal collusion by specific NGOs or governments) are serious and would require corroboration through official audits, independent investigations and responses from named organizations.
- Anecdotal encounters (assaults, single interviews) illustrate particular experiences but do not, by themselves, constitute systemic proof of all claims.
- Legal and privacy constraints, as described by the filmmakers, can complicate independent verification in EU jurisdictions.
Suggested next steps / resources for verification
- Watch the full documentary to see context and raw footage.
- Look for independent reporting or official statements from organizations named (IOM, Red Cross, Norwegian Refugee Council, ASM, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) in response to the film’s allegations.
- Check EU and Spanish audit reports or press releases regarding migration funding and how EU migration-control funds have been spent.
- Consult mainstream investigative outlets and NGO watchdogs for corroborating investigations on smuggling networks, NGO accountability, and border management practices.
- If seeking balanced perspective, review academic studies and international migration data (Eurostat, Frontex, UNHCR) on demographics, routes and outcomes for asylum claims.
Selected quotes from the transcript
- “Every boat that arrives here, the mafia gets between 50,000 to 60,000 euros.”
- “The king daddy above everything is the United Nations… the International Organization of Migration.”
- “In a single generation, Europe has changed forever… More than it has in the last 2,000 years.”
- “You could stop this tomorrow… The only way that I could see them reversing it is not without some sort of serious civil conflict.” (expresses the film’s alarmist view)
This summary distills the documentary’s central storyline, claims, key scenes and the filmmakers’ framing. For factual confirmation of the allegations, consult independent reporting, official NGO statements and EU audit sources.