The region covered by the San José Regional Office comprises three separate sub-regions that have unique contexts and particular migration issues: North America, Mesoamerica and the Caribbean. North America is traditionally a sub-region of destination for migration flows, a big part of which comes from Mesoamerica, but mainly from Mexico. While very different from each other, Mesoamerica and the Caribbean are considered mainly sub-regions of origin and transit.
The available data reflect a small recovery in the growth of Mesoamerican migration flows to the northern countries of the region (Canada and the United States of America) in 2012. While a degree of uncertainty still prevails on the size of Mesoamerican flows that may be observed in the next years in the United States, some analysis have shown that net migration flows from Mesoamerica to the United States over at least the next decade are likely to increase, but that such flows are very unlikely to reach the levels found in the 1990s (around 600,000 annually). Possible scenarios have suggested that net inflows will be around 400,000 per year.
Regarding the Caribbean, inflows are mostly from East Asia, Africa and South America, while outflows are usually towards North America and the United Kingdom. Although the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has a scheme to facilitate the free movement of people, this applies to only certain categories of migrants.
In addition, the Americas in general are vulnerable to natural disasters. In particular, the Caribbean has the least capacity to deal with the numerous challenges arising from these catastrophes. This mix of vulnerability and reduced capacities will foreseeably have implications for human mobility in the region as it has been the case in the past, in particular in Haiti.
Intraregional migration flows between developing countries in the region (South–South) have been growing since 2005. These are primarily labour flows. While South–South intraregional migration flows are less significant numerically when compared with internal migration and South–North intraregional migration, their relevance cannot be considered insignificant, especially for countries that have long-established migration systems, such as Nicaragua–Costa Rica and Haiti–Dominican Republic.
The consolidation of new locations that attract migratory flows, such as Belize, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago, is a developing trend. This phenomenon is rooted in different factors, such as the setting of new economic activities demanding low-skilled workforce, high economic growth sustained for long periods of time, the process of dollarization in the economies of some countries, and high levels of outmigration in certain locations, which have caused a shortage of domestic labour force replaced by workers from neighbouring countries (also known as “respite migration”). Most of these flows are irregular.
Also, there has been significant growth in intraregional flows from developed countries to developing countries, which should be highlighted given that it is a growing trend. These flows are composed mainly of retirees and pensioners. Although their number in the aggregate might not be significant, the growth rate is substantial and its economic effect is appreciable in certain locations.
Extra-continental migration flows originating from developing Asian and African countries have grown meaningfully in the region, mostly during the past 10 years. Some Mesoamerican countries report that the number of arrests of irregular migrants from Asian and African countries has increased significantly from 2000 to date. Bangladesh, China, Eritrea, India, Nigeria, the Republic of Korea and South Africa are the countries of origin of the majority of these flows.
Migration management is an increasingly critical component of security policies in the region as transnational organized criminal networks are increasingly involved in migrant smuggling, human trafficking, and identity and travel document falsification and alteration.
Abuses and crimes committed against migrants, especially against migrants in transit, are growing significantly. Mesoamerica, in particular, has seen a significant rise in the number of cases of kidnapping, extortion, assaults and rape committed against migrants in transit. This region hosts the biggest corridor of migrants in transit in the world, with migrants from at least 50 different nationalities crossing the region to reach Canada and the United States. Simultaneously, Mesoamerica is also one of the biggest corridors of drugs (South–North) and weapons (North–South), both factors contributing to make the region one of the most violent corridors in the world.
Also, citizen insecurity has increasingly become a reason for expelling migrants in Mesoamerica. In addition to displacements because of armed groups taking over people’s lands, property and freedom, and controlling entire communities, recently some parts of the region have seen displacements of people due to extortion and violence done by criminal gangs.
The decline in security caused by these gangs’ criminal activities leads to instability in families and among individuals, even those who have not been direct victims of crimes. Consequently, many people decide to migrate to safer communities in their own countries or abroad.
The number of returnees has significantly increased in the region. Stricter deportation policies as well as economic crises in developed receiving States are the main causes of these returns. Some of the communities of major return flows are reporting to be experiencing difficulties to reintegrate returnees and provide them with services, such as health and education.
Unaccompanied children migrating from Mesoamerica to the United States is a growing trend. The most important drivers of this trend are family reunification, labour opportunities, and insecurity and violence in countries of origin. Owing to the vulnerabilities of this group, specific policies and actions are required from origin, transit and destination countries.