The migration of Salvadorans, Guatemalans, and Nicaraguans to the United States occurred because of the economic devastation, the civil war, and repression. The people were plagued with poverty and hunger, and they chose to leave their lives and head to the United States in hopes of gaining new opportunities. The United States had offered the opportunity for these immigrants to seek refuge in a land that was facing war and had the resources to provide the necessary needs of survival. The wars in these countries were due to a lack of government and social structure. The powerful can control the minorities, and civil unrest threatened the safety of the general public. The corruption and poverty fueled the social tensions. A lawless society offered no protection for the people and their families. War was also a driving force because it affected an already underdeveloped nation and pushed it further behind.
The United States once dominated and occupied these nations. Over the past decades, millions were forced from their country and seek a home other places. They waged war and influenced the social positions of these nations. The migrants of Salvadorans, Guatemalans, and Nicaraguans was due to a variety of influences that left people looking for a better way of life. The journey to America was long and hard, and they faced adversity when they arrived. The United States did not accept the immigrants. The Harvest of Empire documentary opened with a news reporter talking about the people who do not belong here. The immigrants were not given the same rights or treatments as the rest of society. They do not have a voice in political or social situations, and the laws do not protect them equally. Americans feel threatened by the surplus of immigrants and fear they are taking their jobs and living off the government.
- ‘Harvest of Empire’ Exposes the Reality of Immigration. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q896fYeNow
