The ripple effects of deportations in Honduras.

Abstract

Hondurans have been targeted for deportation since the 1980s, but today their deportations have grown disproportionate to their immigrant population size. They are more likely to face deportation than other targeted groups, such as Mexicans, Salvadorans and Guatemalans. Given Hondurans' singular position in the deportation system and the dearth of research about this group, we ask: What are the potential short- and long-term consequences of deportation for Honduran migrants, their families, and the broader community? To address this question, we utilize qualitative interviews with deportees, their families, and community members collected in Honduras in 2011 and 2014 as part of a multi-country research project our team conducted on the social impacts of deportations. While our findings in Honduras parallel those in other studies, we capture economic, social, and emotional effects beyond the individual deportees, including non-migrant family members and the broader community that receives them. Our longitudinal approach allows us to capture re-migration patterns as well.