New Approaches to Migration Management in Mexico and Central America

The Migration Policy Institute, together with the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, released a report this month entitled, New Approaches to Migration Management in Mexico and Central America, which "traces the history of migration and transmigration trends and policy in Mexico and Central America, and examines Mexico's sweeping 2011 immigration law and implementation challenges." The report contends that although attention has been focused mostly on migration from Mexico, the migration of individuals from Central America through Mexico has progressively become a complex and salient issue as well.

"Over the past two decades, Mexico has increasingly become a destination for Central American migrants seeking to enter the United States; many remain in Mexico for extended periods and, in some cases, settle permanently. These flows have created new challenges for Mexican and Central American policymakers." This document examines the response of governments in the region to the growing issue of transit migration, and is "organized around four main themes:

• A brief background on the migration phenomena in Mexico and its traditional regulatory framework.
• Case studies of migration management in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.
• Analysis of Mexico's attempts in recent years to create a formal framework for migration management.
• A discussion of the implications of emerging national institutional frameworks on the management of regional migration issues."

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