Can Latin American Countries Handle a Refugee Crisis? (Latin American Advisor / Inter-American Dialogue, Washington, DC, 1st Dec. 2015) (original) (raw)

Nicaragua and Costa Rica have recently seen a flood of Cuban immigrants enter their countries in hopes of reaching the United States, concerned that the country may end its “wet foot, dry foot” policy that grants residency to Cuban immigrants if they arrive in the United States by land. Meanwhile, police forces in Costa Rica, Honduras and Paraguay have detained Syrian refugees possessing stolen Greek passports on their way to seek asylum in the United States, amid fears that militants may be using the same routes to gain access to the United States. Are Latin American countries equipped to handle a refugee crisis? What can be done to control the flow of migrants? How are changes in migration patterns affecting local security and relations between neighboring countries? Should authorities in the region be turning away Syrian refugees out of concerns over terrorism?