Immigration Crisis: The United States Under President Donald J. Trump

Ronn Pineo
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Ronn Pineo: Department of History, Towson University, Baltimore, Maryland

Journal of Developing Societies, 2020, vol. 36, issue 1, 7-40

Abstract: Rising crime, homicide, economic despair, infant mortality. The common narrative of the situation in the Northern Triangle nations of Central America, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, points to these grim circumstances to explain the exodus of families leaving for America. But it is not the case that conditions have worsened there in recent years; the best available data show improvement in many socioeconomic measures.  This article draws upon the best sources from the Northern Triangle, Mexico, US, and international organizations. Socioeconomic studies and analysis by universities, policy groups, and government agencies from the region provide details on the day-to-day experiences of ordinary people, the realities of poverty, crime, and violence.  The conclusions from these studies do not always match common suppositions. Homicides are down, but El Salvador and Honduras remain two of the most dangerous countries in the world. In the Northern Triangle, economic growth has been above the regional average, while the percentage of families living in poverty in Guatemala is actually increasing as income distribution worsens. More Central American families are migrating to the USA than ever before, but far fewer total immigrants are coming to America as the immigration from Mexico has declined.  This article concludes with policy recommendations. Since the US economy is creating more jobs than entrants into the workforce. US immigration policies should be adjusted to match economic needs and must be changed to reflect its highest humanitarian values.

Keywords: Immigration; Trump; Central America; Guatemala; Honduras; El Salvador (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:jodeso:v:36:y:2020:i:1:p:7-40

DOI: 10.1177/0169796X19896905

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