Central America is seeing a surge in money flows from migrant workers in the US who are spooked by Donald Trump’s threats to deport millions of them. Remittance inflows to Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras have all soared since Trump took office in January.

Central American migrants currently living in the United States sent home around 20% more in remittances in the first quarter of 2025, according to official data released this week. Economists have claimed this reflects their fear of deportation by President Donald Trump’s administration.

The Trump administration’s deportations of undocumented immigrants are accelerating as part of a broader crackdown on unauthorized immigration. The focus so far has been on hundreds of flights,