US Deportations to Central America: A Ticking Time Bomb of Violence

Strategic Insights -

A Guardian investigation has found that US deportations to Central America have led to a series of murders, with several individuals being killed just days or months after their return. The investigation has confirmed three separate cases of Honduran men who were gunned down shortly after being deported by the US government. Immigration experts believe that these findings represent just the tip of the iceberg, with a forthcoming academic study identifying as many as 83 US deportees who have been murdered on their return to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras since January 2014.

Key Takeaways:

  • The US government is deporting undocumented immigrants back to Central America, where they are facing imminent threats of violence and murder.
  • Three separate cases of Honduran men have been confirmed, with each being killed in their hometowns shortly after their return.
  • A forthcoming academic study has identified 83 US deportees who have been murdered on their return to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras since January 2014.
  • The US government's deportation policies have triggered a series of unintended consequences, including an increased death rate among migrants attempting to enter from Mexico.
  • Human rights experts warn that the US government is scrimping on its obligation to provide asylum to those genuinely in peril, violating international law.
  • The victims of these murders often fled their homes due to gang violence, and were returned to the same environment that they had escaped from.
  • The Obama administration's crackdown on immigration has led to a "generalized crackdown" across the immigration service, resulting in increased detention and expedited removal procedures that often fail to consider asylum claims.
  • The US government's policies on deportation and asylum have been criticized by human rights groups, who argue that they are returning people to their deaths in violation of national and international law.

Statistics:

  • At least 83 US deportees have been murdered on their return to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras since January 2014 (Estimated by Elizabeth Kennedy, a social scientist at San Diego state university).
  • 45 of these murders took place in El Salvador, 3 in Guatemala, and 35 in Honduras (According to Elizabeth Kennedy's forthcoming research).
  • The number of unaccompanied children apprehended at the Southwest border has decreased from 66,000 in last summer's surge to 11,000 so far this year (According to US Customs and Border Protection).
  • Detention has been expanded and people are increasingly being put into fast-track deportation procedures (According to Clara Long, an immigration researcher for Human Rights Watch).
  • The majority of those murdered lived in some of the most violent towns in some of the most violent countries in the world (According to Elizabeth Kennedy).

Sources:

  • Guardian investigation
  • Elizabeth Kennedy, social scientist at San Diego state university
  • Clara Long, immigration researcher for Human Rights Watch
  • US Customs and Border Protection
  • Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
  • Washington Office of Latin America (WOLA)