Seeking refuge : Central American migration to Mexico, the United States, and Canada / Maria Cristina Garcia.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

García, María Cristina, 1960-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Political refugees--Central America.

Political refugees.

Political refugees--Legal status, laws, etc--United States.

Political refugees--Legal status, laws, etc--Mexico.

Political refugees--Legal status, laws, etc--Canada.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (291 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Berkeley : University of California Press, 2006.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The political upheaval in Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala had a devastating human toll at the end of the twentieth century. A quarter of a million people died during the period 1974-1996. Many of those who survived the wars chose temporary refuge in neighboring countries such as Honduras and Costa Rica. Others traveled far north, to Mexico, the United States, and Canada in search of safety. Over two million of those who fled Central America during this period settled in these three countries. In this incisive book, María Cristina García tells the story of that migration and how domestic and foreign policy interests shaped the asylum policies of Mexico, the United States, and Canada. She describes the experiences of the individuals and non-governmental organizations-primarily church groups and human rights organizations-that responded to the refugee crisis, and worked within and across borders to shape refugee policy. These transnational advocacy networks collected testimonies, documented the abuses of states, re-framed national debates about immigration, pressed for changes in policy, and ultimately provided a voice for the displaced. García concludes by addressing the legacies of the Central American refugee crisis, especially recent attempts to coordinate a regional response to the unique problems presented by immigrants and refugees-and the challenges of coordinating such a regional response in the post-9/11 era.

Contents:

Front matter

Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

Introduction

1. The Wars in Central America and the Refugee Crisis

2. Designing a Refugee Policy: Mexico as Country of First Asylum

3. Refugees or Economic Migrants? The Debate over Accountability in the United States

4. Humanitarianism and Politics: Canada Opens Its Doors to Central America

Conclusion: Shared Responsibility? Legacies of the Central American Refugee Crisis

Notes

Selected Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786612358340

9780520939431

0520939433

9781282358348

1282358340

9781423745556

1423745558

9781598759341

1598759345

OCLC:

475969762