While individuals have migrated from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador for decades, it is only recently that large numbers of families and unaccompanied minors have migrated to the United States. Migrants from these countries, known as the Northern Triangle, are fleeing local instability and violence, poverty, and drought, among other reasons. As climate change deepens poverty and food insecurity in the Northern Triangle, it is likely that the United States will continue to see a rise in the number of families and unaccompanied minors seeking asylum. This requires a thoughtful and comprehensive overhaul of the U.S. asylum system, significant investment in border infrastructure, and targeted development aid.
