NPR

Despite Dangers, Intimidation, Guatemalans Still Seek A Better Life In U.S.

The Trump administration's immigration policies are designed to convince migrants to not cross the border illegally. But poverty and lack of opportunities in Guatemala continue to push people north.
Castillos<em>, </em>or castles, in the the Guatemalan villages of Huehuetenango that were built with money earned in the United States.

Despite the Trump administration's immigration clampdown, newly released data show the number of Central American families and unaccompanied children crossing the Southwest border illegally has risen sharply.

The government blames loopholes in U.S. immigration laws for acting as a magnet for immigrants. But there's another explanation. The push factors in impoverished regions in Central America are as powerful as ever.

Huehuetenango is a province in western Guatemala that borders Mexico. It has spectacular mountain ranges, a large indigenous Maya population that lives in extreme poverty, and the distinction of sending more immigrants to the United States than any other place in Guatemala.

Our mission in traveling to Guatemala is to find out if the White House's immigration policies are

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min readCrime & Violence
Captain Sentenced To 4 Years In Fiery Deaths Of 34 Aboard Scuba Boat In California
The Sept. 2, 2019, blaze was the deadliest maritime disaster in recent U.S. history, and prompted changes to maritime regulations, congressional reform and several ongoing lawsuits.
NPR4 min read
Who Will Pay To Replace Baltimore's Key Bridge? The Legal Battle Has Already Begun
Workers are still removing pieces of the Key Bridge from Baltimore Harbor, but the fight over who will pay to replace it has already begun. Past accidents offer some clues about how it could play out.
NPR3 min readAmerican Government
Indiana Will Have Its First Competitive Primary Election In Two Decades
Indiana has its first competitive primary for governor in two decades, as six Republicans vie for their party's nomination. Current Governor Eric Holcomb is term-limited after eight years in office.

Related Books & Audiobooks