Blogs


Democracy Under Siege in Central America

Luis A. Rivas ˙ ˙ Migration, Remittances & Development

Photo of protesters in Nicaragua during the 2018 protests Jorge Mejía Peralta / Flickr / CC BY 2.0 DEED
Democracy is under threat in Central America and authoritarianism is on the rise. This problem is having long-term institutional and economic implications for these countries and poses serious challenges for US policy towards the region. Uncheckered political ambitions and abuses of authority in the form of corruption or political and economic favoritism are signs of severe democratic backsliding. Nicaragua is an illustration of the consequences of unconstrained power. But the growing corruption and political ambitions of other Central American leaders could further affect democratic institutions in the region. It is important not only to bear witness but to mobilize proactive foreign policy to prevent authoritarianism from rising.Read more +

Sustained Remittance Growth in 2022

Manuel Orozco, Asha Richards ˙ ˙ Migration, Remittances & Development

A man counts Somali shilling notes having just exchanged US Dollars with a money changer on the streets of the Somali capital Mogadishu. Stuart Price/ Flickr / CC0 1.0
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, remittances have become a much more important source of income for many people in Latin America and the Caribbean. It is projected that the growth rate will reach 14 percent in 2022 to nearly US$150 billion, equivalent to 5 percent of the gross domestic product in Latin American and the Caribbean countries...Read more +

It’s time to restore asylum protections for domestic violence survivors at the US border

Catharine Christie, Sofia Lalinde ˙ ˙ Voces

Female asylum seeker sitting in front of a fence Daniel Arauz / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
The intersection of domestic violence and migration in the Northern Triangle necessitates the protection of survivors seeking asylum. Biden’s stated commitments to gender-based issues and promises made on immigration reform prior to the election call on the administration to immediately restore asylum protections for domestic violence survivors.Read more +