Overview
Between 2000 and 2010, the number of Latin Americans living in a place other than that of their birth increased by about 32%. Central America subregion increased to 35% and Northern Central America (NCA) averaged 59%. Central America consists of seven countries (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama) and we look at these countries, along with Mexico. There has been a growth in the number of migrants in transit, returnees, unaccompanied minors, caravans, and asylum seekers in the recent years. Most migrants coming from three of the region’s seven countries – Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador – called the Northern Triangle. Central Americans migrate due to poverty, extreme vulnerability, family reunification, and violence and insecurity that they experience. Poverty rates in Central America are extremely high, with Honduras and Guatemala poverty rates at 74% and 68%, respectively. These countries experience extreme vulnerability (particularly the rural areas) because of extreme climate events such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and droughts. On top of poor climate, violence is rather high in these countries, important to mention that the Northern Triangle countries rank among the world’s top 10 countries for homicides. And with many of the migrants having family members who reside in the US (82% of migrants have US family members), this provides a network for them and encourages them to migrate Northward to a country that is safer, with political stability, and has better economic opportunities.
Data
The image shows data on the number of migrants coming from each of the Central American countries (including Mexico). The numbers show that Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries have the highest in population of migrants.
Total recorded deaths January 1st to December 2nd 2019. These do not take into account the deaths that were not found and taken into data.
Looking at Central American and US-Mexico Border, we can see the common causes of deaths. La Bestia (The Beast) train causes a lot of harm to migrants.
Amongst the migrants that are in transit, majority of them are men, which outnumbers migrant women by 26% . Half of the recent migrants are under the age of 24 and 25% of migrants are children and people under the age of 20. As mentioned before, 82% of migrants have family members in the United States, encouraging them to migrate to reunify with family. Looking at migrants from The Northern Triangle, 89% of El Salvadorians, 87% of Guatemalans, and 82% of Hondurans found residency in the United States. It was found in 2018 that 3.5 million migrants from NCA countries were residing in the United States and 70% of these migrants were economically active with jobs. However, there was a clear occupational segregation, leaving majority of NCA migrants (52%) to occupy low skilled occupations, while other migrants had better economic opportunities. Due to 56% of NCA migrants to have irregular (undocumented) status in the U.S. (2016) and for 55% of NCA residents in the US to not have completed secondary school, their options are limited when making economic advances in the U.S.
Policy
Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration was the first approach to managing migratory flows on an international level. This was created for the protection of the human rights of all migrants. There are three principles that come in play: common understanding, shared responsibilities, and unity of purpose.
The U.S. and Northern Triangle government came together to engage in public awareness campaigns to inform Central America about the dangers that comes with unauthorized migration. They spread awareness through radios, television, and social media. The U.S. is also assisting foreign countries combat smuggling operations and get to the root of the cause of migration.
Challenges
There are many challenges and dangers that come with unauthorized migration. The Northern Triangle countries have the highest homicide rates, putting them in high exposure to violence and making them vulnerable to violence during transit.
These are the 2017 Homicide per 100,000 inhabitants for The Northern Triangle.
Majority of the crime that occurs during transit for migrants in Mexico is committed in states near the Southern border: Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Veracruz. Migrants have been trying to avoid and change routes to avoid falling victim to crime.
During transit, migrants are at high risk of violence. It was found that CNA migrants are 8 times more likely to be kidnapped during transit through Mexico compared to Mexicans, 3 out of 4 crimes that NCA migrants face during transit are robberies, and 1 out of 4 Honduran migrants fall as a victim to crime, making them the most vulnerable during transit. There is also gender-based homicides (femicides) and are more prone to sexual assault that puts women in even greater danger when migrating.
Even when migrants reach their final destination and try to live their lives, they still live in discomfort because there is a possibility of being deported. Because many migrants do not have the proper status to reside in the U.S., they are deported back to their home country as involuntary returnees. Between 2007 and 2016, over 840,000 migrants from NCA countries were deported back to their home countries.
USA Perception
It was found that overall that people around the world are expressing their support for taking in refugees but are less in favor for taking in immigrants. Refugees were described as people “fleeing violence and war” and immigrants were described as people “moving to our country”. From a Global Attitudes survey, it showed that the U.S. was one of the few countries to support more for immigrants than they would for refugees. And in another survey, it was found that the U.S. was in favor of diversity coming from immigrants (79% was in favor for it while 40% opposed). Even though many do favor and support immigrants, there are some who believe that immigrants take away job opportunities and social benefits to U.S. Citizens.
Victims of La Bestia
Roni Osoria (22) is a migrant who came from Honduras and he was on “La Bestia” (aka the Death Train) migrating North. He said he was 12 hours into his journey and was on top of one of the train carriages and he fell asleep. And with nothing to grab on top of the carriage, he slipped off the carriage and fell, and his leg was caught under the train. This caused him to lose his left leg. He was assisted by a special Red Cross program that helps migrants who get injured from La Bestia and now he has a new prosthetic limb and is able to walk again.
Alan Abarca (49) is from Honduras and he decided to migrate due to the lack of money he and his family had. He took the train to head to the U.S. but ended up losing his leg and was deported. His stump was too fresh of a wound that he could not get a prosthetic limb yet and only his wife and daughter knew about his injury and had not informed his relatives yet. He choked with emotion and asked “what can I do?” and said that only when he can walk again will he inform his family about the incident.
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