E.g., 07/24/2026
E.g., 07/24/2026
Migration Information Source - Articles by 'South America' Term

Articles - South America

Una mujer con gafas

La regularización extraordinaria que España llevará a cabo en 2026 podría otorgar estatus legal a un número récord de migrantes en situación irregular, la mayoría de ellos procedentes de América Latina. Este artículo examina la regularización en España, sus posibles repercusiones y las consecuencias para América Latina.

A woman with glasses

Spain's offer of legal status to a record number of irregular migrants, most of them from the Western Hemisphere, stands in contrast to the policy approaches in Latin America, where many previous regularization initiatives have ended or were closed to new entrants. This article examines the 2026 regularization in Spain, and the ramifications for Latin America.

People hold Brazilian flags

The United States is home to the largest Brazilian community outside Brazil. Still, Brazilians account for only about 1 percent of all U.S. immigrants. This population has grown rapidly in recent years, with nearly two-thirds of Brazilian immigrants arriving since 2010, as this article details.

Families from Venezuela in Trinidad and Tobago.

Many Venezuelan migrants in Trinidad and Tobago have found that their situation is more complex than expected as the Caribbean country has largely adopted an enforcement-first approach. Many Venezuelan migrants face stigma and precarity—issues complicated amid escalating tensions between Venezuela and the United States, as this article details. 

Argentina's flag in the La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires.

Argentina's founders had a clear desire to encourage immigration, especially from Europe, and the country was for a period among the world’s top immigration destinations. Trends and policies shifted over time, and since the early 1900s overall immigration has declined. Most immigrants now come from neighboring South American countries. This country profile examines Argentina’s migration past and present, including a turn to more restrictive policymaking.

Migrantes venezolanos esperan procesamiento en Brasil.

Un nivel histórico de migración está transformando las sociedades y la política en América Latina y el Caribe, dando paso a una etapa definida por la volatilidad. Este artículo analiza estas dinámicas en el Caribe y Centroamérica y Sudamérica, y analiza la probabilidad de que la región se acerque a un punto de inflexión en la gestión de la migración.

Venezuelan migrants wait for processing in Brazil.

Amid unprecedented migration that began in 2010, Latin America and the Caribbean have entered a new era best defined by volatility. The success of initial policy responses to the displacement of millions of Venezuelans and other migration patterns has dimmed, given incomplete integration outcomes and other pressures. This article details these dynamics across the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Venezuelans crossing into Colombia.

While most Colombians say the influx of migrants from Venezuela over the past decade harms their country, this opinion does not necessarily lead to support for more immigration restrictions. As this article shows, attitudes are more nuanced, and many Colombians blame the government and employers for perceived harms resulting from immigration, rather than immigrants themselves.

Una mujer prepara arepas en la cocina.

La población de inmigrantes venezolanos en Estados Unidos ha crecido rápidamente en los últimos años, en medio de la creciente crisis económica y política en Venezuela. Aproximadamente la mitad de los inmigrantes venezolanos viven en Florida y una proporción notablemente grande tiene un título universitario. Este artículo ofrece estadísticas clave sobre este grupo.

A woman makes arepas in the kitchen.

The Venezuelan immigrant population in the United States has grown quickly, amid a spiraling economic and political crisis in Venezuela that resulted in the exodus of millions of Venezuelans, most remaining in Latin America. About half of Venezuelan immigrants in the United States live in Florida, and a notably large share hold a college degree. This article offers key statistics about this group.

A sign for a Chinese restaurant in Lima's Chinatown district.

Immigration from China and Japan to Peru in the 19th and 20th centuries has had a lasting impact on the South American country. These immigrants arrived to fill labor market needs, but later encountered a backlash from native Peruvians. Now, amid an influx of Venezuelans fleeing political strife and economic collapse, the past may be repeating itself. This article provides an overview of historical Asian migration to Peru, drawing a parallel to recent experiences with Venezuelans.

Banderas de países sudamericanos.

La población inmigrante sudamericana en Estados Unidos ha crecido a un ritmo superior al de la población total nacida en el extranjero, en base a las crisis de Venezuela, Colombia y otros países. Aun así, los sudamericanos representan sólo uno de cada diez inmigrantes estadounidenses. Aunque se asemejan a la población inmigrante general de Estados Unidos en varias características demográficas, existen algunas diferencias notables, como se detalla en este artículo.

People in South Sudan fleeing conflict in Sudan.

The international humanitarian protection system built amid the ashes of World War II has come under increasing strain, as record numbers of people flee internationally and travel farther distances. New barriers to protection in destination countries have captured public attention, but governments are also experimenting with ways to offer sanctuary, which could signal a remaking of the global system, as this article explains.

Iraqis voting abroad from Jordan.

In recent decades, countries worldwide have expanded voting rights to their diasporas as well as certain resident noncitizens. Voting access in general has grown over time, as barriers based on sex, literacy, and other characteristics have fallen, and migrants' increasingly expansive rights to vote are part of that trend worldwide. This article provides a global overview of the dynamics.

Flags of South American countries.

The South American immigrant population in the United States has grown at a faster rate than that of the overall foreign-born population, amid crises in Venezuela, Colombia, and elsewhere. Yet South Americans still account for only about one in ten U.S. immigrants. While they mirror the overall U.S. immigrant population in several demographic characteristics, there are some notable differences, as this article details.

President Joe Biden in Mexico City.

The U.S. immigration enforcement system increasingly depends on other countries to help halt irregular movements through the Americas and accept the return of unauthorized migrants. Foreign governments play a crucial and yet underappreciated role in migration management, and can either aid or frustrate U.S. border-control aims, as this article explores.

Housing construction site in California.

One-fifth of the planet lacks adequate housing. That scarcity, expected to affect 3 billion people by 2030, is a problem for native-born and immigrant communities alike. The global housing shortage can aggravate tensions over immigration and lead to integration challenges for new arrivals, as this article details.

Un hombre con patatas en Ecuador

Ecuador se ha convertido en un destino importante para los migrantes sudamericanos, un país de tránsito para quienes se dirigen al norte y una fuente renovada de emigración. El pequeño país andino se ha visto enredado en las tendencias cambiantes de movilidad de la región y ha respondido a las circunstancias cambiantes con una combinación de políticas que ha producido algunos resultados imprevistos.

A man with potatoes in Ecuador

Ecuador has emerged as a significant destination for Venezuelan migrants, and is also a sizable origin for people heading to the United States and Spain. The Andean nation has found itself enmeshed in the Americas' evolving mobility trends and has responded with a mix of policies that have produced some unforeseen outcomes. This country profile evaluates recent trends and puts them in historical context.

Migrantes en la aldea de Canaán Membrillo, en el Tapón del Darién, Panamá.

El paso por el Tapón del Darién ha transformado la migración en las Américas. Cada día, más de 1.000 personas cruzan lo que no hace mucho era un tramo de selva poco transitado entre Colombia y Panamá, la mayoría con la esperanza de llegar a Estados Unidos o Canadá. Es un viaje increíblemente arriesgado. Los gobiernos se han esforzado por responder al creciente movimiento, que se espera que supere los 500.000 cruces en 2023.

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