 At that point the Algeria-Niger border became an international frontier between two sovereign states.In recent years the border region has gained renewed focus, due to increasing numbers of African migrants crossing it seeking to reach Europe; in 2017 Algeria began policing the border more thoroughly, gaining some criticism as deported migrants were stranded at the remote frontier with no provisions.The only official border crossing in on the Trans-Sahara Highway between the towns of In Guezzam (Algeria) and Assamakka (Niger).