Think Creative - Issue 6

why migrants risk it all

“Saliendo Adelante...”

The Spanish term, while used in many ways, carries a connotation of moving forward or striving to progress in life. It’s a phrase used often across Central America, as thousands of people seek their own personal and family advancement through migration to the United States. Saliendo Adelante therefore became an apt name for a six-month, in-depth study commissioned by Creative into the factors that drive people from Central America’s Northern Triangle—El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras—to undertake the often-dangerous journey north. Uniquely, the study identified the 60 municipalities in the three countries that, combined, account for more than half of all the region’s irregular migration. In these mostly urban municipalities, Creative conducted 2,400 in-person individual surveys in February and March to gather data on intentions to

migrate, family, household economic situation and exposure to crime, among other points. Combining the results of these 2,400 surveys with existing municipal data and thorough analysis, Creative is able to better understand the complex tapestry of factors that contribute to migration from the Northern Triangle to the United States. The study reveals the nuances of migration, even among municipalities and regions in the same country. For example, the confluence of factors that drives people to migrate differ in El Salvador’s Soyapango and La Libertad, which have a similar rate of emigration. Universal is the fact that migrants often risk their safety to make the journey. With this study, Creative aimed to better understand—on a local and individ- ual level—why they believe it’s worth the risk.

Where are people migrating from? Creative’s survey focused on the 60 municipalities that, combined, account for more than half of all irregular migration from the Northern Triangle to the United States. The percentages below indicate the municipality’s share of all migration from each country. For example, 16 percent of Guatemalan migrants come from Guatemala City.

Guatemala

Honduras

La Ceiba 5 %

El Salvador

Mixco 4 %

San Pedro Sula 20 %

Guatemala City 16 %

Villa Nueva 2 %

Central District (Tegucigalpa & Comayagüela) 27 %

La Libertad 5 %

San Miguel 5 %

San Salvador 18 %

14 | Think Creative | Fall 2018 2 9