Economic migrants and cost free remittances

Over the last decade, migrants have become seen as vital agents of development by international financial institutions, various United Nations organizations and home country governments, who in their efforts to “capitalize” on migrants' remittances have contributed to establishing the image of the migrant super hero, who through hard work in foreign lands contribute to sustain their families, communities and nations. At the same time, stricter border controls and raising anti-immigrant sentiments have led to a criminalization of mobile livelihood strategies and following mass deportations of undocumented migrants.

Using Central America and the well-developed local notion of the migrant superhero as point of departure, this working paper asks three critical questions: The first is whether poverty or insecurity best explains contemporary migration flows in the region? The second question takes issue with how remittances play into on the one hand local social security nets, and, on the other hand, increasing national and regional insecurity. The final question concerns the status decline of former migrant heroes who through the act of deportation become “trash” in the public imagery. Together these questions indicate that not only the gains, but also the costs of remittances, should be taken into account.