Migration News Brief for November 25, 2024

Welcome to LAWG’s Migration News Brief, a compilation of recent top articles and reports related to issues of U.S. immigration and enforcement policy and migration from Central America and Mexico.

Spotlight

LAWG Condemns a Guatemalan Court Decision to Reincarcerate José Rubén Zamora 
Tania Del Moral, Latin America Working Group, November 15, 2024
“The Latin America Working Group strongly condemns a recent decision by a Guatemalan appeals court to overturn a house arrest order and reincarcerate José Rubén Zamora, a 68-year-old journalist with a distinguished career exposing corruption. This latest ruling underscores the grave threats facing independent journalism and the rule of law in Guatemala.”

US Enforcement

Transcript: Ocasio-Cortez Delivers Remarks at TPS For Ecuador Press Conference
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, November 19, 2024
“On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) joined a press conference hosted by Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) in collaboration with TPS for Ecuador National Coalition, Hispanic Federation, Voces Latinas, Jackson Heights Immigrant Center, and MomsRising. The members and advocacy groups gathered to ask the Biden administration to designate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ecuador ahead of the incoming Trump Administration.”

Los migrantes que buscan llegar a Estados Unidos antes de que se posesione Trump chocan con la frontera cerrada de Biden
Nicholas Dale Leal, El País, November 19, 2024
“Aunque el panorama que se vislumbra bajo la nueva administración de Trump es de un cierre total de la frontera, como él mismo ha anunciado, la realidad es que en este momento, prácticamente, ya lo está”.

Los Angeles officials move to establish city as a sanctuary for immigrants and LGBTQ youth in advance of Trump’s return to the White House
Elizabeth Wolfe and Veronica Miracle, CNN, November 19, 2024
“The Los Angeles City Council, which represents the second-largest US city, unanimously voted to adopt a “sanctuary city” ordinance that prohibits city resources from being used in immigration enforcement or to cooperate with federal immigration agents, unless required by state law.”

Trump says ready to use military, national emergency for mass deportations
Brian Osgood, Al Jazeera, November 18, 2024
“United States President-elect Donald Trump has confirmed he is “prepared” to declare a national emergency and use military assets to fulfill his 2024 election campaign promise to carry out mass deportations.” 

Border Report Live: What the border could look like under Trump’s 2nd presidency 
Fernie Ortiz, Salvador Rivera, Border Report, November 15, 2024
“Just days after being elected to a second term, Donald Trump has announced his picks to lead his immigration enforcement, including the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, the parent agency of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Border Patrol.”

Trump’s pick of Rubio as America’s top diplomat could reshape US policy in Latin America 
Joshua Goodman, Associated Press, November 15, 2024
“Taking cues from his boss, Rubio’s main focus in the region is likely to be Mexico, on trade, drug trafficking and migration. Once a sponsor of bipartisan reforms allowing undocumented migrants a path to citizenship, Rubio transformed himself during Trump’s first administration into a loyal supporter of his calls for increased border security and mass deportation.”

Five Migration and Security Trends at the U.S.-Mexico Border
Adam Isaacson, Washington Office on Latin America, November 12, 2024
“The 2024 decline in migrants arriving at the border may have decreased the salience of border security and migration in the U.S. election campaign, though they remain top issues. Still, the drop is a result of sharply limiting persecuted and threatened people’s ability to seek protection at the U.S.-Mexico border, and it is unlikely to be long-lasting.”

“For Trump, Central America does not exist and is reduced to migration”
Roman Gressier, El Faro, November 11, 2024
“In his second term, the U.S. president-elect has threatened to punish his foes and purge from the civil service those who would obstruct his agenda. He has also proposed the deportation of millions of immigrants to their home countries, once again hardening immigration policy toward undocumented communities —among them, parts of the Central American diaspora— and labor force.”

Mexican Enforcement

La caravana migrante denuncia un cerco policial en el sur de México
Agencia EFE, La Prensa, 22 de noviembre de 2024
Integrantes de la caravana migrante en el estado de Chiapas, en el sur de México, denunciaron el jueves que las autoridades les bloquearon la entrada al municipio de Huixtla, donde pretendían descansar, por lo que urgieron al Gobierno de la presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum intervenir para que no se violen sus derechos humanos”.

Police unearth bodies buried in back of three homes
Julian Resendiz, Border Report, November 15, 2024
“Police in Juarez, Mexico, have pulled three bodies from clandestine graves not far from an area near the Rio Grande where they recovered 14 bodies earlier.”

MSF refuerza la asistencia móvil tras aumento de caravanas en el sur de México, pide a las autoridades vías seguras de migración
Médicos Sin Fronteras, 13 de noviembre de 2024
“Desde finales de octubre Médicos Sin Fronteras (MSF) ha redoblado la provisión de asistencia móvil en el sur de México, brindando cientos de consultas médicas en los estados de Chiapas, Oaxaca y Veracruz, ante el drástico aumento de las caravanas de migrantes, que se mueven en grupos intentando disminuir la exposición a eventos de violencia en su camino hacia la frontera con EE. UU. MSF hace un llamado a las autoridades a proporcionar vías seguras de migración y reforzar los servicios básicos disponibles para las personas en movimiento”.

Root Causes 

Mexico

About 1.500 migrants form a new caravan in Mexico. Here’s what it means
Associated Press, November 20, 2024
“About 1,500 migrants formed a new caravan Wednesday in southern Mexico, hoping to walk or catch rides to the U.S. border. The migrants are mainly from Central and South America. Some say they are hoping to reach the United States before Donald Trump’s inauguration in January, saying they think it might be more difficult after that.”

88 mexicanos continúan refugiados en Guatemala ante violencia del crimen organizado
Redacción Animal Político, Animal Político, 16 de noviembre de 2024
“A cuatro meses de huir de la violencia en el sureste del país, al menos 88 mexicanos solicitaron extender su condición de refugiados en Guatemala”.

Almost 10 Thousand People Have Been Displaced Due to Cartel-Related Violence in Mexico in 2024
Héctor Ríos Morales, The Latin Times, November 14, 2024
“Since former President Felipe Calderón launched the so-called “war on drugs” against drug trafficking cartels, violence in Mexico has increased exponentially, leading to the deaths of thousands of people, with thousands more kidnapped as well as many others displaced from their homes due to the ongoing conflict.”

Car bombs. Massacres. A cartel turf war. Mexico’s new president confronts a wave of violence
Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, November 12, 2024
“Six weeks after taking office, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is contending with a nationwide wave of violence, and is facing increasingly urgent questions about what she plans to do about it.”

Guatemala

IOM Guatemala: Monthly Dashboard Transit Migration Flow Trends (October 2024)
International Organization of Migration, Relieftweb, November 21, 2024
“In October 2024, a total of 17,441 movements were observed at the 5 Flow Monitoring Points (FMPs) located in key transit migration areas across the country (an average of 581 daily movements). This represents a decrease of eight per cent compared to the previous month, where more than 18,800 movements were observed.”

Statement from the Xinka Parliament of Guatemala Condemning Interference In Court– Ordered Consultation on Escobal Mine by San Rafael la Flores Municipality and Pan American Silver
Earthworks, November 19, 2024
“The Xinka Parliament of Guatemala categorically denounces and rejects the bad faith actions of Pan American Silver and the Municipality of San Rafael Las Flores in the department of Santa Rosa, which openly violate the Constitutional Court Sentence of September 3, 2018 (file #4785-2017) in an attempt to carry out a parallel process to spread disinformation outside of the consultation process with the Xinka people over the Escobal mining project.”

Guatemala’s history of colonialism, from genocide to extractionist industries
Keith Hamm, The Current, November 19, 2024
“The Central American county’s first three invasions, he explained, were the Spanish colonization of the early 16th century, the rise of the plantation economy during the late-19th and early-20th centuries and the state-sponsored genocide during the Guatemalan Civil War (1960-1996).”

RSF condemns Guatemalan Court’s decision to return Jose Rubén Zamora to prison
Reporters without Borders, November 19, 2024
“Zamora, the founder and publisher of El Periódico newspaper, had been under house arrest since 19 October after spending over two years in preventive and arbitrary detention on trumped-up charges of money laundering, extortion, and obstruction of justice.”

Corte de Guatemala ordena regreso a prisión de José Rubén Zamora
Agencia AFP, El Espectador, 15 de noviembre de 2024
“Un tribunal de apelaciones de Guatemala revocó este viernes el arresto domiciliario del periodista José Rubén Zamora y ordenó que vuelva a prisión, una decisión criticada por el presidente Bernardo Arévalo y organizaciones de prensa”.

Guatemala appeals court verdict could see publisher returned to prison
VOA News, November 15, 2024
“The Guatemalan journalist Jose Ruben Zamora could be returned to prison after an appeals court Friday overturned an order that had moved him into house arrest.”

El Salvador

Breaking Barriers, Building Peace: the Women of El Salvador
UN Sustainable Development Group, November 20, 2024
“‘De Una!’ provided crucial support by facilitating collaboration between the community, government, businesses, and NGOs. This collaborative approach created opportunities, prevented violence, and helped families stay in their communities.”

Caso Ellacuría: El Salvador reabre el juicio contra los acusados por la masacre de jesuitas de 1989
Carlos S. Maldonado, El País, 19 de noviembre de 2024
“Un halo de esperanza se ha abierto en El Salvador para establecer la responsabilidad por la matanza de seis sacerdotes jesuitas y dos mujeres en 1989 en los jardines de la Universidad Centroamericana (UCA)”.

Rare look inside prison that holds El Salvador’s most dangerous criminals
CNN World, November 14, 2024
“The facility houses some of El Salvador’s most hardened criminals. Opened less than two years ago, it is already an iconic feature of the “new El Salvador” of President Nayib Bukele. Critics argue the facility has crossed the line into human rights abuses for its strict control and isolation of prisoners.”

Updated to reflect a shift to Level 2 due to changes in crime
U.S Embassy San Salvador, November 8, 2024
“In March 2022, the Government of El Salvador declared a ‘State of Exception’ in response to an uptick in homicides committed by gangs. The State of Exception grants authorities the power to arrest anyone suspected of gang activity and suspends several constitutional rights, including the normal protections of criminal procedure, such as the right to a speedy or fair trial.”

Honduras

Policía de Fronteras detiene a tres guatemaltecos con droga en Honduras
La Tribuna, 22 de noviembre de 2024
“Agentes de la Dirección Nacional de Servicios Policiales Fronterizos (DNSPF) detuvieron hoy a tres ciudadanos guatemaltecos durante un operativo realizado en un punto fronterizo no habilitado en la aldea El Jute, Copán Ruinas. Los individuos portaban varios paquetes que contenían hierba seca, presuntamente marihuana.”

Hundreds of Honduran villages cut off by torrential rain
Vanessa Bushschlüter, BBC News, November 19, 2024
“So far, Honduran officials have confirmed only one death but said that more than 110,000 people had been affected by the storm.”

Honduras battles flooding as Tropical Storm Sara unleashes heavy rainfall
Marvin Valladares, Reuters, November 17, 2024
“Wading through waist-deep water, residents along the northern coast of Honduras trudged through the streets on Friday carrying their belongings and pets, as heavy rains from Tropical Storm Sara caused widespread flooding across the area.”

Regional

Trump’s Comeback Could Disrupt Latin America’s Remittances
Rich Brown, Americas Quarterly, November 21, 2024
“For decades, remittances have been a critical pillar of Latin American and Caribbean economies, representing a lifeline for the poorest families and a major boost for the region’s middle classes. A record $159 billion was received last year, up from $62 billion a decade ago. But now the landscape may change.”

Life Beyond the Darién for Children on the Move
Timothy O’Farrell, Nacla, November 21, 2024
“Children now represent 1 in 5 people traversing the Darién Gap. The mental health repercussions of crossing the jungle on children’s mental health have become a major challenge for humanitarian organizations.”

United States Announces New Support for Migrant Children’s Education in Peru
USAID from the American People, November 21, 2024
“Peru hosts the second largest Venezuelan migrant and refugee population in the world, with 1.6 million individuals who are seeking safety and a better life. USAID values its continued partnership with Peru and supports the Government of Peru’s efforts to host Venezuelan migrants and refugees and help them to build new lives in their host communities.”

Survey: Nearly half migrants experienced gun violence in home countries
Sandra Sanchez, Border Report, November 19, 2024
“A new report finds that nearly half of migrants surveyed suffered firearm-related violence in their Latin American and Caribbean home countries. The University of Michigan study found that 48% of migrants who immigrated to the United States reported previously experiencing gun-related threats and violence. And one-third, or 34%, showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.”

Over 20,000 Flee as Rising Gang Violence Spurs Mass Displacement in Haiti
International Organization for Migration, November 17, 2024
“More than 20,000 people have been displaced across Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince in just four days, including over 17,000 hosted in 15 displacement sites even as gang violence escalates. The crisis has disrupted critical supply chains and isolated the city.” 

Gender and LGBTQ+

Mexico’s Judicial Reform: A Feminist Critique of its Risks for Rule of Law, Migration, and Human Rights
Melissa Ayala, Wilson Center, November 21, 2024 
“Mexico’s judiciary plays a pivotal role in protecting the rights of migrants, many of whom are women fleeing gender-based violence. These women often face intersecting vulnerabilities, including exploitation, sexual violence, and discrimination. The judiciary’s ability to uphold its rights depends on its independence and capacity to apply international human rights standards. Popular elections, however, risk introducing biases that prioritize nationalist or anti-migrant sentiments over legal protections.” 

Afromexicanas, grupo más olvidado en la agenda y el segundo más discriminado en México; reforma resulta insuficiente, aseguran
Marcela Nochebuena, Animal Politico, 18 de noviembre de 2024
“Las poblaciones afromexicanas enfrentan batallas específicas por el reconocimiento de los derechos de las mujeres, que cargan la doble discriminación de ser afros y ser mujeres. Son el segundo grupo más discriminado, de acuerdo con la Encuesta Nacional sobre Discriminación 2022”.

Climate

Mapping the impact of climate change on global displacement
Usaid Siddiqui, Marium Ali, and Hanna Duggal, Al Jazeera, November 22, 2024
“Overall, countries in the Global South, including large parts of Africa, Asia, Asia Pacific, MENA and Latin America, experienced five times (5.13) more displacements relative to their populations compared with countries in the Global North in 2023.”

Ecuador declares 60-day state of emergency to help battle wildfires
Al Jazeera, November 18, 2024
“Ecuador has declared a 60-day state of emergency as the South American country has been hit by a severe drought and record wildfires that have razed large swaths of territory over the past weeks.”

Paso del ciclón tropical Sara dejó al menos 61 emergencias y ocho departamentos afectados 
Miguel Barrientos, Prensa Libre, 18 de noviembre de 2024
“Al menos ocho departamentos de Guatemala resultaron afectados por la lluvia y viento que dejó el ciclón tropical Sara durante su paso por el territorio nacional”.

En histórica visita a la Amazonia, Biden dice haber cumplido con fondos climáticos
Agencia EFE, El Espectador, 17 de noviembre de 2024 
“El presidente Joe Biden sumará nuevos fondos para proteger la selva amazónica y combatir el cambio climático. Sin embargo, el futuro de estas políticas está en duda con el regreso de Trump”.

Tormenta Sara: Centroamérica se prepara para lluvias; San Andrés mantiene alerta
AFP, El Espectador, 15 de noviembre de 2024
“La tormenta tropical Sara amenaza con inundaciones, deslizamientos de tierra y fuertes lluvias, principalmente en Honduras. Otros países de la región también se alistan para sus efectos devastadores.”

Actions, alerts, resources

Under the Gun: Firearms Trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean
Christopher Hernandez-Roy, Henry Ziemer, Azucena Duarte, Center for Strategic and International Studies, November 2024
“Although only 8 percent of the world lived in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), the region accounts for a third of all homicides worldwide. LAC cities consistently top international rankings as some of the most violent locales outside of active conflict zones. Behind this insecurity are powerful and deeply entrenched transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) trafficking drugs and other illegal commodities, who in turn rely on a seemingly endless flow of illicit firearms to carry out their campaigns of violence and intimidation on the Western hemisphere’s inhabitants.”

Caribbean Firearms: Agencies Have Anti-Trafficking Efforts in Place, But State Could Better Assess Activities
U.S. Government Accountability Office, November 14, 2024
“The majority of recovered firearms in the Caribbean were traced to the U.S. and trafficked through various means. (…) While the political will and capacity of each country impacts the number of recovered firearms each country submits for tracing, ATF processed 7,399 traces of firearms recovered in crimes in the Caribbean from 2018 through 2022 (see figure). GAO analysis of these data showed that 73 percent of these firearms, most of which were handguns, were sourced from the U.S.”

• *The Migration News Brief is a selection of relevant news articles, all of which do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the Latin America Working Group.

P.S. Do you know of someone who might be interested in receiving the Migration News Brief? Tell them to email tdelmoral@lawg.org