Central American Immigrants

Poverty and political violence have driven many people from Central American countries to immigrate to the United States or Canada. Beginning in the 1980s, wars and repression drove large numbers of immigrants north. By 2014, according to data from the US Census Bureau, immigrants from Central America made up about 7 percent of the country's total immigrant population. This book briefly chronicles the often-troubled history of the region's seven countries-Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama-and examines the experiences of those who have left to find a new life in North America. Despite many hardships, Central Americans have established vibrant communities throughout the United States and Canada.