Essay written on Central Americans coming to US
There are a number of migrants that come to America from Central America that face extreme marginalization as they arrive. Many immigrants come to another country for several reasons. They could be coming into the country in order to pursue financial change, joining family, starting anew, jobs to support family back home, or escaping violence and hardships as refugees. Central America and the United States have a long history of migration between the two countries. Over the decade, immigrants from the Northern Triangle comprise of 86 percent of the Central Americans in the United States (O’Connor, Batalova, and Bolter, 2019). Out of Central America, there are three main groups of migrants that will come out of the Northern Triangle. The Northern Triangle is comprised of migrants that are coming from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras (Gonzalez, 2019). One of the largest of these groups of migrants from the Northern Triangle are from Honduras. Despite the increase of border control within America, there is a continuation of Honduran migrants that attempt to enter the country and brave the dangers of travel, potential abuse, and the possibility of deportation and entering America illegally. In the eyes of migrants traveling from Honduras, the opportunity to better their lives greatly outweigh what perils they may face.
Out of the reasons to escape Honduras, rampant rape and violence plays a large role in their emigration. Numerous migrants of Honduras, especially women, face violence at the hands of men in their country in regard to high homicide rates, gang activity and other violence at home (Cohn, 2017). Women of all ages are afraid for their lives. Furthermore, the Honduran government does not provide much protection for their suffering. Many females end up in unwanted pregnancies due to lack of punishment and protection from the government. One in ten females in Honduras report that she was abused physically or sexually at least once in the year, but a countless number of these events go unreported (Cohn, 2017). Protection from abusers is almost absent due to religion in the government. Extreme influence of the Catholic church in government, deemed abortion as illegal and there are no exemptions, including: pregnancy resulting from rape, incest, severe fetal abnormality or the life of the pregnant woman (Cohn, 2017). A woman’s life and well-being are nowhere near recognized in this country. A stillbirth or miscarriage can be a means for a woman to be imprisoned and charged with terminating her pregnancy (Flipovic, 2019). There are no options for a woman dealing with an unwanted pregnancy in Honduras. If a woman experiences rape, some would consider it part of her inevitable fate that was decided by God. In Catholicism, a women’s role is to bear children and abortion would be a murderous sin. In reality, many of those affected by this traumatic experience would consider suicide or escaping to neighboring countries (Flipovic, 2019). The trauma that one experiences from sexual violence runs deep. It would be a lifelong memory that haunts victims forever. Leaving their home country is simply a way for them to flee a horrible situation in hopes of a better life (Gonzalez, 2019). It may be the only thing they can do to escape punishment from government.
Many of the people traveling from Central America face corruption in leadership. In Honduras, it is common for women to see their attackers go to jail for a short amount of time and are not offered protection from threat (Flipovic, 2019). A few women will deal with policemen who end up raping them. In POLITICO, a woman retold her story of her accounts of rape and violence stating that, “after fleeing torture from her drug dealer boyfriend, a police officer offered to take her to a bus stop only to rape her in a field; afterward she was sexually harassed by a group of men on her way home” (Flipovic, 2019). Many actual accounts of violence and rape may be unreported due to safety reasons. Those that experience rape or violence will have to be wary of their safety, as well as their loved one’s safety, from vengeful enemies (Flipovic, 2019). Rape victims that seek justice are often fearful for their families as abusers will find others to get revenge for them. These happenings make it unsafe for men, women, and children alike.
Numerous dangers lie in the travel from Central America to the United States. Traveling via caravan, attempting to cross the border, and escaping their homes is a great feat. Groups of migrants will travel in caravans by walking or taking buses, if they can afford it toward Mexico to get to America (Flipovic, 2019). The safety in walking in a group can allow singular persons and families to travel. There is great risk in traveling such long distances without precautionary preparation and may travel extremely famished. Migrants in caravan also risk possibility of being detained by Mexican security forces that detain undocumented migrants (Semple, 2020) This long-distance travel may be difficult, but for some, it can be a matter of life or death. Many of these travelers may be escaping violence and poverty. This travel will provide a means to improve their lives, perhaps financially.
In comparison to their homeland, migrants view the United States as a beacon of hope. A land of opportunity to change the life they’ve been handed. Immigrants will leave their homes due to poverty, desperation, suppression, and lack of hope and are looking for a chance to improve their lives (Gonzalez, 2019). Many are driven to America since many will also have the option to move in with family and seek employment at the same time. According to surveys, there is a correlation with Northern Triangle migrants and flow of money from the U.S. back to the Northern Triangle is substantial (Cohn, 2017). This provides clear evidence that many come to America to help their families in their home country. Pursuing a job in the United States is a path for immigrants to improve both theirs and their children’s. lives They may have no other choice to financially improve compared to staying in their home country.
Many of those that arrive successfully in the USA will find jobs in service and manual labor. According to the Migration Policy Institute, they found that immigrants from Central American were 32% were working in service occupations, while 23% were in natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations; 18% were in production, transportation, and material moving occupations (O’Connor, Batalova, and Bolter, 2019). Immigrants will typically find jobs that they can do at a lower rate than American citizens. In 2017, the median income for Central American immigrant households was approximately $46,000, compared to American-born households at $60,800 (O’Connor, Batalova, and Bolter, 2019). Many immigrants will find themselves living in poverty. However, the drive to pursue financial stability is a means to maintain a immigrant’s new way of life.
Immigrants that arrive to pursue employment or reunify with family in the United States are widely discriminated against despite coming from unhappy backgrounds. Fiery rhetoric and discrimination against immigrants in media play a large part in their defamation. Today’s administration spreads information to media that will portray Latin American immigrants as people from violent gangs and unlawful organizations as a whole. Vice President Mike Pence stated that immigrants from Central America drive illegal immigration and carry illegal drugs northward into America (Cohn, 2017). News of immigrants arriving illegally to bring drugs to American-born citizens are spread by right-wing activists. This depiction of a large group of people is irresponsible and must be stopped. Violence incited by inflammatory language toward innocents will only cause harm. Reckless leadership is ultimately a loss for the American people. The American people are often misled by politicians and may not research evidence behind their claims. Blind followers are created by fueling of emotions with this type of leadership.
The United States and Central America have a long history of migration. As both countries have changed over time, the increase in travel to America has become a dangerous necessity for some. Many of those that travel to America face violence from gangs or in their homes with little protection from government. Catholic influence on Honduran government puts many women at risk from unwanted pregnancies, while also empowering abusers to allow them to rape with little consequence. Women are basically unarmed in terms of fighting back if they are raped, while also facing injustices from police corruption. Despite pushback from U.S. government, these reasons force migrants to arrive. America can provide Hondurans and others of the Northern Triangle the opportunity to change their lives financially. Statistical studies prove this. Immigrants will use their opportunities available to change their lives. Sadly, their relocation is made unsafe by right wing media stereotypes who criminalize Central Americans as a whole. Many immigrants that are refugees are arriving in the United States. It is difficult for all countries involved when determining how to improve this situation. Religion in government may play a huge factor in altering how a country is run.
1. Cohn, D’Vera, Jeffrey S. passel, and Ana Gonzalez-Barrera. “Rise in U.S. Immigrants From El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras Outpaces Growth From Elsewhere.” Pew Research Center Hispanic Trends, 7 Dec. 2017, https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/2017/12/07/rise-in-u-s-immigrants-from-el-salvador-guatemala-and-honduras-outpaces-growth-from-elsewhere/
2. Flipovic, Jill. “‘I Can No Longer Continue to Live Here.’” POLITICO Magazine, POLITICO, 7 June 2019, www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/06/07/domestic-violence-immigration-asylum-caravan-honduras-central-america-227086.
3. Gonzalez, Daniel. “The 2019 Migrant Surge is Unlike Any We’ve Seen Before. This is Why” USA Today, 25 Sep. 2019, https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/nation/2019/09/23/immigration-issues-migrants-mexico-central-america-caravans-smuggling/2026215001/
4. O’Connor, Allison, Jeanne Batalova, and Jessica Bolter. “Central American Immigrants in the United States.” Migration Policy Institute. 15 Aug. 2019, https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/central-american-immigrants-united-states
5. Semple, kirk. “Migrant Caravan Embarks From Honduras, Posing Challenge to Region.” New York Times. 15 Jan. 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/15/world/americas/migrant-caravan-honduras.html
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