WHAT IS DRIVING THE MIGRATION CRISIS AND IS U.S. ASSISTANCE EFFECTIVE?

Violence, instability, and poverty in Central America are driving a new wave of migration.

Dangerous levels of violence, political instability, and poverty are key factors driving families to make the risky journey from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador without any guarantee of safety.

In Guatemala and Honduras, half the country lives in poverty. In all three countries, there are close to 16 million people under the age of 24 – and nearly one-third of the youth are unemployed.

Northern Triangle countries are home to some of the highest murder rates in the world.

Studies have found a striking correlation: for every 10 murders in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, 6 children sought safety in the United States.

U.S. foreign assistance works when we invest with sustainable diplomacy.

In response to the 2014 crisis of unaccompanied children arriving at America’s southern border, the United States helped launch the “Alliance for Prosperity” – a regional initiative grounded in tough U.S. diplomatic engagement and sustained, effective development investments.

America committed an initial $750 million and the Northern Triangle countries brought more than seven times that amount to bear – $5.4 billion of their own resources – to help their own people. By 2017, American assistance helped improve conditions throughout the region and border-crossing apprehensions had fallen to their lowest point since 1971.

Unfortunately – prior to the most recent announced cuts – U.S. assistance to Central America has decreased by nearly 30% from 2016 to 2019, and today, assistance to the Northern Triangle is just 0.035% of the current federal budget.

Highlights of U.S. assistance to Central America include: