Undocumented Central Americans in Houston: Diverse Populations

Abstract

Fleeing political conflict and/or economic decline, large numbers of undocumented Central Americans have been coming to the United States since the late 1970s. Many of these migrants have settled in urban areas of the country that have large Hispanic concentrations. It is estimated that about 100,000 have settled in Houston. Interviews and observations indicate that this Central American population, composed principally of Salvadorans, Guatemalans, and Hondurans, constitutes a new diverse Latino immigrant experience in the city.