Refugees, Migrants, Immigrants. Whatever they’re called they are still people.
The Honduran caravan of people heading for the United States possibly took a page out of the Donald Trump book of utilizing mass media to push an agenda. According to the BBC1, approximately 1000 Honduran citizens began walking from a bus terminal in San Pedro Sula, Honduras heading for the U.S. in search of a better life and escape unemployment and poverty. Prior to leaving Honduras, a Honduran lawmaker notified the media in order that they cover the 1000 citizens on their quest to a better life in the United States. The coverage by the media was in hopes of protection from the Honduran, Guatemalan and Mexican governments and from potential gangs and robbers along their journey.
According to a USA Today report2 on October 13, possibly 3000 Honduran citizens began walking from San Pedro Sula, Honduras. They plan to walk all the way to the United States in order to escape poverty, corruption and gang violence. Two days later, they crossed the border into Guatemala and were met with Guatemalan police who detained them for a few hours however allowed them to continue.
The exact count of people has been speculated and difficult to pinpoint due to some of the migrants collapsing under the intense heat or just unable to continue. Generally speaking though, the walkers are in good spirits, singing and determined to make it to the United States and with every border crossing is met with soft resistance and a renewed determination.
On Monday, October 22, 2018, the energized hikers to freedom made it to the Guatemalan, Mexican border where they were met with more soft resistance. A bridge crossing the Suchiate River between Guatemala and Mexico was closed and blocked off by Mexican authorities. The determination of the people prevailed and some broke through the fence on the bridge and made it to Mexico where they continued on their journey. The next question is what will happen when they reach the U.S. border?
President Trump threatened to cut financial aid to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador if they don’t stop this caravan. Trump tweets Oct. 22 to blame Democrats for not voting to change the “pathetic” immigration laws. Yes, we do have “pathetic” immigration laws. We have immigration laws that cause potential legal citizens to remain in the U.S. for decades being held up by an immigration process that is extremely long and convoluted. Good, hard working people who came to this country for the same reasons people have migrated here since Columbus discovered America only to be met with an immigration process that potentially can see applicants die of old age before they are made citizens all the while they are working and contributing to society the best they can.
BBC speculates Trump is standing firm on his immigration policy because the midterm elections are only a few weeks away.1 A typical political stance. Some say this caravan also includes criminals however, why would a criminal risk running into powerful gangs along the way who could rob them and even kill them if they are successful criminals in Honduras?
The migrants have risked life and limb to get to the U.S. The area the migrants crossed in Guatemala has the highest murder rates in the world.
So far they have traveled 480 miles, mostly on foot, to get into Mexico. It seems they have a choice where to cross the border. If they attempt to legally cross at a crossing station along the border into the U.S., they could cross at Brownsville, TX which would add an additional 1137 miles to their journey, making it a total of over 1600 miles. If they attempt to cross at Nogales, Arizona, an additional 2061 miles will be added to their travel totaling 2541 miles and if they cross at El Paso, TX an additional 1800 miles would be added to their journey totaling 2280 miles traveled. No small feat, no pun intended.
The New York Times reports on Monday, October 22, 2018, Trump Tweeted there are “criminals and unknown Middle Easterners” traveling with this group and the democrats, particularly George Soros, has funded the migration however, the Times also reports there is no fact supporting the allegations.3 Frankly, there is no way of knowing the honest intentions of every immigrant especially when the numbers are constantly changing. The group is constantly picking up more people who are in search of a new beginning in America.
The CIA World Fact Book4 reports Honduras is the second poorest country in Central America, unequally distributes money and high under employment rate. Honduras relies on the export of bananas and coffee and trades heavily with the U.S. Honduras has a 65% poverty rate, 29.9% below poverty rate, unemployment is 5.9% and inflation is 3.9% according. It’s no wonder so many people are leaving the country.
The CIA World Fact Book5 indicates Guatemala is the most populous and most dangerous country in Central America. They rely on the export of sugar, coffee, banana’s and vegetables. Guatemala’s unemployment rate is only 2.3% but their poverty rate is 59.3%. Dangerous Guatemalan gangs traffic cocaine and heroin through their country and these immigrants are traveling through the territories of these gangs increasing the danger they are facing. Guatemala also manufactures a great deal of marijuana that is used in their own country. Like Honduras, it’s no wonder Guatemalans are leaving their country.
The World Fact Book6 shows Mexico’s unemployment rate at 3.6% and 46.2% of the people live below poverty. Mexico has a 6% inflation rate with an economic growth of 2% since 2013. Mexico relies on trade and exporting of goods from many different industries. Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras show indications of the misappropriation of goods and income which result in poverty, undereducated and malnourished people. These people need help.
Comparatively speaking, the U.S. enjoys an unemployment rate of 4.4% in 2017, a below poverty rate of 15.1%, inflation of 2.1% and a GDP growth rate of 2.3%. Knowing that people from these two Central American countries can have more opportunities to work in order to take better care of their families as well as less of a chance of living in poverty, and what little they do have not being stolen from them, it’s no wonder there are so many people trying to get to America. Could this be a major rise in immigration to the United States much like we experienced in the 19th and 20th centuries? The only difference is this time it is generally illegal immigration rather than good, hard working people wanting to have a chance to live and work hard in order to provide a better life for their families. These people are only trying to escape inequality, corruption and the lack of opportunity in search of a better future.
Various news media outlets report Mexico has turned to the United Nations for assistance. Although no details of the U.N. assistance has been reported, an article dated October 18th, The Washington Times8 reports the U.N. may set up a special processing center in order to determine who out of the thousands of people asking for asylum are actually refugees or who want to be reunited with their families who are already in the U.S. illegally.
The United States has always welcomed immigrants who wanted to escape the problems of their home country and start new in America. Why our immigration policies have become so convoluted and slow is not the scope of this blog. What is the point and scope of this blog is the U.S. needs to stop making immigration a political issue, one in which our own President would rather put the blame on others without fact and not deal with the humanitarian issue at hand. Never before has the United States had to deal with so many people coming from Central America and it will not stop. It will continue and there will be groups who are more successful than others in crossing into the U.S., either legally or illegally. There will be larger groups to come and the U.S. will have to manage it one fashion or another.
These people are attempting to escape real problems in search for a better opportunity. Even if they come to America illegally, they stand a better chance or a hopeful future than if they remained in their home country or even Mexico. In an article in The Washington Times, the writer indicates that by U.S. law, these people have the chance to claim asylum however because of the lack of recourses and other court decisions, they will more than likely be released into the U.S. while a decision is made in reference to their asylum. At that point, they will probably be lost among Americans. Working and earning a living like the rest of us.
The majority of these people are looking for new start. They will likely end up in U.S. population anyway. The U.S. needs to take a hard look at currently immigration policy, laws and procedures, streamline and simplify the process for those wanting to be citizens and yes, restrict access to the U.S. in order for officials to keep track of those who are entering the U.S.
References:
1. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-45933845
3. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/22/us/politics/trump-immigrant-caravan-migrants.html
4. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ho.html
5. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/print_gt.html
6. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mx.html
7. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
8. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/oct/18/mexico-asks-un-help-honduran-migrant-caravan/
