Causes of Salvadoran Migration to the United States

Abstract

Underlying causes of Salvadoran migration to the United States are conflict related but controversy continues over whether the immediate motivations are political or economic. Information from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service on department of origin of Salvadorans apprehended between 1982 and 1985 and from news accounts of Salvadoran political violence and economic setbacks are used to determine correlations between migration and political and economic factors. Results suggest that economic setbacks are more important than political violence. (EXCERPT)