2/1/16 American Immigration Council Report – Why They Are Fleeing and How U.S. Policies are Failing to Deter Them.
Faced with the increase of Central Americans presenting themselves at the US’ southwest border seeking asylum, President Obama and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), specifically, implemented an “aggressive deterrence strategy.” A media campaign was launched in Central America highlighting the risks involved with migration and the consequences of illegal immigration.
Survey findings suggest is that crime victims are unlikely to be deterred by the Administration’s efforts. Further, we may infer from this analysis of migration intentions that those individuals who do decide to migrate and successfully arrive at the US border are far more likely to fit the profile of refugees than that of economic migrants. Upon arrival, however, they are still subject to the “send a message’ policies and practices that are designed to deter others rather than identify and ensure the protection of those fleeing war-like levels of violence.
