JUN 8 2020
By Lyna Ninkham
The UNHCR defines a refugee as a person who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war or violence. A refugee has a well-founded fear of persecution due to his or her race, religion, nationality, political opinion or social group.
In El Salvador, gang warfare and violence along with a stagnant economy and natural disasters have pushed growing numbers of people to leave over the past two decades.
El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, also known as the Northern Triangle have experienced a dramatic escalation in organized crime by gangs, called maras. As thousands of parents have fled with their children, many have made the difficult decision to send their children to make the perilous journey alone.
These unaccompanied children are some of the world’s most vulnerable refugees – they have witnessed horrific violence, faced extreme risk and are often times recruited into gangs, extortion, and sexual violence. In fiscal year 2014, about 68,500 unaccompanied immigrant minors reached the U.S. Southwest border, a 77% increase from the year before. Of these, roughly 16,400 were Salvadoran, a nearly three-fold increase from the year before!
Unaccompanied Minors Seeking Refuge
- Central/South America
- El Salvador
In FY 2014, about 68,500 unaccompanied immigrant minors were apprehended at the U.S. Southwest border. Roughly 16,400 were from El Salvador.
Canopy has resettled 25 individuals from El Salvador and the country continues to see an increase of displacement and those that are seeking refuge.
In 2019, an estimated 539,500 people were displaced from Central America. With the current pandemic of COVID-19 prohibiting the resettlement of refugees in the United States, it may be quite some time before families will be able to relocate to their new homes.
When asked what he loved most about his country and what he wished people knew, it was that, despite the ongoing violence, Salvadorans know how to work hard and make sacrifices for their families. They are known to live communally, value following the way of life from their families yet also knowing how to live independently from one another.
Those values have been clearly evident in the wonderful work that Francisco does for our refugee families and to our Canopy staff team as well!
To learn more about the refugee crisis in El Salvador and the Northern Triangle:
https://www.unrefugees.org/emergencies/central-america/
https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/el-salvador-civil-war-natural-disasters-and-gang-violence-drive-migration
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