New patterns of Central American migration to the United States: The caravan in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, 2019

Abstract

The objective of this study was to perform a socio-demographic characterization of Central American migrants’ caravan in Piedras Negras, Coahuila. In methodological terms a questionnaire was applied to a sample of 540 persons in order to perform descriptive and inferential analysis of variables that were stratified by sex. A young population was found with 2.5 men for each woman. People were mainly: from Honduras, with primary schooling, single, with occupation that mostly does not require school training. Women tend in a greater proportion than men to travel accompanied, with two or more people, with a greater number of children, with a greater number of relatives, with their partners and with children. The main reason for leaving their country was the lack of jobs. Most people travel to the United States (US) for the first time and have relatives in the US in more than a half of cases. More than two thirds sought asylum in the US and the vast majority did not have the desire of returning to their country of origin.

In conclusion, a new strategy of Central America migration to the US through Mexico has been described. In socio-demographic terms, the results support the hypothesis of an expulsion’s theory for economic and security reasons. New strategies are proposed to make a safe trip along Mexico through a gender approach. The results also highlight a clear objective of traveling from Central America to the US with few cases to reside in Mexico or return to their country of origin.