Khamar Narcisse
Professor Francois
October 4, 2024
PSCI-227
Illegal Immigration Through Latin America
Introduction
The issue of illegal immigration coming from Latin America has gained priority, impacting both the countries of Latin America and the United States. People and their families escaping political unrest, violence, and poverty are often forced to make dangerous cross-border journeys in order to reach the U.S. border. The migrants themselves, their home countries, and the countries that they travel through will all be significantly impacted by this migration across a range of social, economic, and political issues.
Research Question
What are the key drivers of illegal immigration through Latin America, and how do these factors affect both the migrants, and the countries involved?
Facts and Figures
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Number of Migrants: According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (2021), over 1.7 million people were apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2021 alone, representing a significant increase from previous years.
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Countries Most Affected: Migrants come from countries like Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico, with Venezuela and Cuba also seeing increasing numbers due to political unrest (Pew Research, 2022).
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Economic Drivers: Economic instability, particularly in Venezuela where inflation hit 500% in 2021 (World Bank, 2022), pushes people to seek better opportunities abroad.
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Violence and Crime: Gang violence especially in places like El Salvador leaves people displaced, with homicide rates exceeding 36 per 100,000 people (UNODC, 2021).
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Migration Routes: The routes that migrant’s traverse are dangerous including the Darien gap, a jungle between Colombia and Panama; thousands of whom starve, get exploited, and are subjected to violence (Human Rights Watch, 2022).
Key Dimensions of the Problem
One of the main aspects of the issue is the humanitarian disaster. There is a possibility that migrants might die while traveling. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that since 2014, more than 4,000 migrants have passed away or disappeared along these routes. Latin American nations that host migrants must provide a temporary food and shelter, which puts an additional burden on their economy.
Summary and Synthesis
These facts demonstrate that the issue of immigrants is complex. Poverty, insecurity and political turmoil make people embark on dangerous journeys. This gives rise to not only a border issue in the United States, but it is also an issue for Latin American countries as they grapple with humanitarian and economic issues.
Revisit the Topic and Research Question
The research question you proposed in Paper 1 was: “What are the key drivers of illegal immigration through Latin America, and how do these factors affect both the migrants and the countries involved?” The facts and figures gathered throughout this paper shed light on these key drivers poverty, political instability, violence, and economic hardships as crucial elements forcing individuals to leave their home countries.
Developing Understanding of the Problem
The research and evidence presented have deepened my understanding of the illegal immigration issue by illustrating that it is not just a matter of people crossing borders but a multidimensional crisis. The facts around economic decline, violence, and dangerous migration routes have highlighted how intertwined these problems are, influencing both the migrants and the countries they travel through. The role of Latin American nations as both sources of migrants and transit countries complicates these issues further, demonstrating that a comprehensive policy approach, involving both the U.S. and Latin American nations, is essential to address the underlying causes.
Conclusion
In Latin America, there are a number of factors that have made the problem of illegal immigration more complicated. Gaining insight into these factors helps to better understand the difficulties faced by both the migrant and the nation that receives them. Maybe more research on international collaboration and policy interventions could lead to real long-term fixes for this problem.
References
Global homicides hit record high in 2021 as post-lockdown stress set in. (2021).
UN News:
Global perspective Human stories.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/12/1144392#:~:text=UNODC%20said%202021%20%E2%80%9Cwas%20an,political%20violence%20in%20several%20countries.
Human Rights Watch. (2022). Colombia/Panama: New abuses against migrants at Darien Gap.
International Organization for Migration (IOM). (2022). Missing migrants: Tracking deaths along migratory routes.
Pew Research Center. (2024). Migrant encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border hit a record high at the end of 2023:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. (2021). U.S. Border Patrol total apprehensions by year.
