E.g., 12/05/2023
E.g., 12/05/2023
Central America & the Caribbean

Central America & the Caribbean

The countries of Central America's Northern Triangle (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras) have seen a significant number of their citizens migrate to the United States. Immigrants from the Caribbean represent half of all Black immigrants in the United States. As such, the ties between these countries and their diasporas have taken on new importance, as has the integration of these immigrants in their country of settlement. Research here explores the demographics, migration flows, human-capital development, interconnected policy realities, and outcomes for immigrants from Central America and the Caribbean. (For research specific to Mexico, see North America.)

A Haitian child looks over his mother's shoulder in Panama
Commentaries

Addressing the Next Displacement Crisis in the Making in the Americas

The next major displacement of people in the Americas is in the making, and it is going unnoticed. The response to the steady emigration from Haiti seen since a devastating 2010 earthquake has been largely haphazard and may not stand the test of new spikes as the country unravels further. This commentary suggests a way forward, based on a model used for the Venezuelan displacement crisis.

Migrants in the Darien Gap village of Canaan Membrillo, Panama.
Articles

How the Treacherous Darien Gap Became a Migration Crossroads of the Americas

Passage through the Darien Gap has transformed migration across the Americas. Hundreds of thousands of people have taken the incredibly perilous journey across the remote jungle between Colombia and Panama, risking exposure to hazardous terrain, criminal groups, and other dangers. As this article outlines, governments have struggled to respond to the growing movement, expected to top 500,000 crossings in 2023.

Two Haitian women stand in front of a mural in Mexico
Reports

Migration, Integration, and Diaspora Engagement in the Caribbean: A Policy Review

Although Caribbean migration is often discussed in terms of movement to North America and Europe, migration within the region has increased notably in recent years. With people on the move for work or study, to join family, and to seek safety from natural disasters or persecution, this mobility takes many forms. This report explores Caribbean migration trends and the policies and institutions put in place at national and regional levels to manage them.

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Featured

MPI publishes its content most on point to migration policies, trends, and immigrant populations in Latin America and Spain in Spanish. You can access all of our Spanish-language content, including reports, commentaries, multimedia, and press releases, here, as well as sign up for updates when we publish Spanish-language content and learn more about our Latin America and Caribbean Migration Portal.

Recent Activity

La gente lleva la bandera de la República Dominicana en un desfile en Washington, DC.
Articles
August 24, 2021
Inmigrantes de la República Dominicana a los Estados Unidos
By Erin Babich and Jeanne Batalova
Articles
August 11, 2021
Central American Immigrants in the United States
By Erin Babich and Jeanne Batalova
Cover image for Future Scenarios for Global Mobility in the Shadow of Pandemic
Reports
July 2021
Future Scenarios for Global Mobility in the Shadow of Pandemic
By  Meghan Benton
Photo of woman in Central African Republic participating in cash for work program
Commentaries
June 2021
Lessons from Europe: The U.S. Opportunity to Rethink the Links Between Development Assistance and Migration
By  Camille Le Coz and Ariel G. Ruiz Soto
A boy walks through a coastal village in Honduras.
Articles
June 10, 2021
Intersecting Crises: Pandemic and Hurricanes Add to Political Instability Driving Migration from Honduras
By Ben Corson and Jeffrey Hallock
Multimedia
April 15, 2021
Building Effective Migration Management Capacity in Mexico and Central America
People carry the flag of the Dominican Republic at a parade in Washington, DC.
Articles
April 15, 2021
Immigrants from the Dominican Republic in the United States
By Erin Babich and Jeanne Batalova
Sentando las bases para una cooperación regional
Reports
April 2021
Sentando las bases para una cooperación regional: Política migratoria y capacidad institucional en México y Centroamérica
By  Andrew Selee, Ariel G. Ruiz Soto, Andrea Tanco, Luis Argueta and Jessica Bolter

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Reports
January 2013
In the Lurch between Government and Chaos: Unconsolidated Democracy in Mexico
By  Luis Rubio
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Reports
January 2013
Crime and Violence in Mexico and Central America: An Evolving but Incomplete U.S. Policy Response
By  Andrew Selee, Cynthia J. Arnson and Eric L. Olson
Cover_RMSG Manufacturing
Reports
January 2013
Manufacturing in the United States, Mexico, and Central America: Implications for Competitiveness and Migration
By  Peter A. Creticos and Eleanor Sohnen
Cover RMSG PayingforCrime
Reports
December 2012
Paying for Crime: A Review of the Relationships between Insecurity and Development in Mexico and Central America
By  Eleanor Sohnen
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Books
December 2012
Young Children of Black Immigrants in America: Changing Flows, Changing Faces
Cover_RMSG BorderInsecurity
Reports
November 2012
Border Insecurity in Central America's Northern Triangle
By  Ralph Espach and Daniel Haering
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Reports
November 2012
Transnational Crime in Mexico and Central America: Its Evolution and Role in International Migration
By  Steven Dudley
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Reports
October 2012
Black Immigrant Mothers in Palm Beach County, Florida, and their Children's Readiness for School
By  Lauren Rich , Julie Spielberger and Angela Valdovinos D’Angelo

Pages

CubanFlag ElvertBarnes Flickr
Spotlight
November 9, 2017
Cuban Immigrants in the United States

Owing to their uniquely preferential treatment under U.S. immigration law, Cubans for decades have been among the largest immigrant groups in the United States. In 2016, nearly 1.3 million Cubans lived in the United States. This Spotlight provides a data snapshot of this immigrant group, which is highly concentrated in Florida, significantly older than the overall U.S. population, and less likely to be proficient in English.

HaitianFestival KnightFoundation MitchellZachs
Spotlight
August 2, 2017
Haitian Immigrants in the United States

The number of Haitians in the United States has tripled since 1990, reaching 676,000 in 2015. Most Haitians entered the United States before 2010, the year of a devastating earthquake from which Haiti is still working to recover. This Spotlight article offers the latest data on Haitian immigrants, including the number holding Temporary Protected Status, top states and cities of residence, demographic information, and more.

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Profile
July 6, 2017
Cuban Migration: A Postrevolution Exodus Ebbs and Flows

The Cuban Revolution unleashed a massive exodus from the island. Cuba is now among the top origin countries of immigrants in the United States—where for decades they have received preferential treatment—with smaller numbers across Europe and Latin America. This article explores the evolution of Cuban migration, particularly within the context of the Cold War and shifting U.S. policies toward the country.

Guatemalans EricChan Flickr
Spotlight
April 21, 2017
Inmigrantes Centroamericanos en los Estados Unidos

La migración centroamericana a los Estados Unidos comenzó en gran números en los años ochenta, impulsada por la inestabilidad política, los desastres naturales y las dificultades económicas. Aproximadamente 3,4 millones de centroamericanos vivieron en los Estados Unidos en 2015, principalmente de El Salvador, Guatemala y Honduras. Dónde viven en los Estados Unidos, su competencia en inglés, su estado legal, las vías de inmigración, y más, están cubiertos en este artículo.

Guatemalans EricChan Flickr
Spotlight
April 5, 2017
Central American Immigrants in the United States

Central American migration to the United States began in large numbers in the 1980s, fueled by political instability, natural disaster, and economic hardship. Approximately 3.4 million Central Americans lived in the United States in 2015, primarily from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Where they live in the United States, their English proficiency, legal status, immigration pathways, and more are covered in this article.

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Recent Activity

Articles
August 24, 2021

Inmigrantes de la República Dominicana a los Estados Unidos

Los inmigrantes de la República Dominicana son el cuarto grupo de inmigrantes hispanos más grande de los Estados Unidos y suman casi 1.2 millones de personas. Esta población se ha multiplicado casi por diez desde 1960, pero sigue concentrada principalmente en unas pocas áreas metropolitanas. Este artículo proporciona una descripción general de los inmigrantes dominicanos en los Estados Unidos.

Articles
August 11, 2021

Central American Immigrants in the United States

The number of Central American immigrants in the United States has grown dramatically, amid political corruption, violence, and natural disasters in their native countries. But recent images of Central Americans arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border do not tell the whole story, with more than half the population arriving in 2000 or earlier. This article offers key data on the 3.8 million Central American immigrants in the United States.

Reports
July 2021

Future Scenarios for Global Mobility in the Shadow of Pandemic

More than 18 months since the first COVID-19-related travel restrictions were introduced, the pandemic’s effects on global mobility are still unfolding. With vaccination campaigns picking up speed in some places while only beginning in others, and new variants of the virus emerging, the timeline for restarting international migration and travel remains uncertain. This report explores how different policy choices could result in very different mobility realities.

Commentaries
June 2021

Lessons from Europe: The U.S. Opportunity to Rethink the Links Between Development Assistance and Migration

As the United States embarks on a new strategy to address the root causes of migration and displacement from Central America, there is much that it can learn from Europe's experience in linking up migration and development aid. This commentary examines the experience of the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF), drawing five key lessons directly applicable to the situation in Central America.

Articles
June 10, 2021

Intersecting Crises: Pandemic and Hurricanes Add to Political Instability Driving Migration from Honduras

A disproportionate number of Central American migrants traveling through Mexico to the United States come from Honduras, driven by government corruption, impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, and hurricanes that have devastated communities and livelihoods. This article examine the multiple factors behind migration from the country, drawing from interviews with migrants en route.

Video, Audio, Webinars
April 15, 2021

Building Effective Migration Management Capacity in Mexico and Central America

This report release event examines migration management in Mexico and Central America, and the growing government attention to migration functions, enhanced immigration enforcement, increased investments in asylum systems and existing protection frameworks, as well as labor migration policies. This is the original audio. Speakers made their remarks in Spanish and English. There is no interpretation on this version. Spanish and English interpretations will be posted soon. 

Articles
April 15, 2021

Immigrants from the Dominican Republic in the United States

Immigrants from the Dominican Republic are the fourth-largest Hispanic immigrant group in the United States, and number nearly 1.2 million people. This population has increased almost tenfold since 1960, but remains mostly concentrated in just a few metro areas. This article provides an overview of Dominican immigrants in the United States.

Reports
April 2021

Sentando las bases para una cooperación regional: Política migratoria y capacidad institucional en México y Centroamérica

Los países de la región que se extiende desde Panamá hasta la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México enfrentan una importante oportunidad para fortalecer la cooperación en materia de migración. Este informe examina los pilares fundamentales que pueden sentar las bases de la cooperación regional. Además de evaluar la capacidad institucional, los marcos legales y las políticas migratorias, también identifica áreas clave en el desarrollo de capacidades.

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