NO CHILDHOOD HERE: Why Central American Children are Fleeing Their Homes

This brief investigates why many Central American children are leaving their homes to come to the United States or travel to other Latin American countries. Many children cite crime, gangs, and violence as key reasons, while smaller numbers of children report leaving because of extreme poverty. Even fewer state family reunification as a reason. The author draws on interviews at migrant return centers in El Salvador to examine the causes of child migration and the effects of child deportation.