Migrants from El Salvador and Cuba relax on their beds at the Albergue Para Migrantes El Buen Samaritano as they wait to have their number on a waiting list that is months long to be called to have an initial interview with an United States asylum officer on June 05, 2019 in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Just as when a large number of unaccompanied minors made their way to the United States in 2014, Central American immigrants are in the news again in a big way. This time, it’s because President Donald Trump has worked to make our already strict immigration laws an even bigger hurdle for those coming from Central America.
As we hear more stories from the border, it’s not always those with ties to the Northern Triangle – that is, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, where many of the immigrants come from – that are telling these stories. But there are plenty of Central American journalists reporting on why this migration is happening, the effects of US immigration law, and about the people who make the difficult decision to leave their countries.
Below, check out a few you should know.
Melissa Vida is a filmmaker and journalist of Salvadoran descent. As the founder of the Central American newsletter, Vida reports extensively on this region. Through her reporting she’s looked at everything from what’s happening in these countries to why some Central Americans are choosing to emigrate to Europe.
Follow her here.
Editor’s Note: Vida is a Remezcla contributor.
At the Los Angeles Times, Esmeralda Bermudez writes about Latinos in Los Angeles. This means the El Salvador-born journalist has also written thoughtful pieces about immigrants, including about parents being reunited with the children that the US government took.
Follow Bermudez here.
Guatemalan journalist María Inés Taracena, a fellow for Democracy Now!, has spent some years covering the border, particularly focusing on unaccompanied minors and caravans.
Follow Taracena here.
Editor’s Note: Taracena is a Remezcla contributor.
At Latino USA, Sayre Quevedo covers a wide range of topics, including immigration. Temporary Protected Status has become one of the subjects where he’s been able to shine a light on the people affected.
Follow Quevedo here.
Daniel Alvarenga, who works with AJ+, has used his platform to talk about issues plaguing Salvadorans and other Central Americans. As we continue to see the mistreatment of Central Americans at the border, Alvarenga has spread awareness of the United States’ role in their current hardships.
Follow Alvarenga here.
Guatemalan journalist and translator José García Escobar writes in both English and Spanish. He has broken down the factors that have forced Central Americans to migrate.
Follow García here.
