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Notes on a Perilous Journey to the United States: Irregular Migration, Trafficking in Persons, and Organized Crime

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 July 2022

Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera Open the ORCID record for Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera [Opens in a new window]  and
Kathleen Blair Schaefer Open the ORCID record for Kathleen Blair Schaefer [Opens in a new window]
Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera
Affiliation:
Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera is professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, Arlington, VA USA. gcorreac@gmu.edu.
Kathleen Blair Schaefer
Affiliation:
Kathleen Blair Schaefer is student at the University of Virginia School of Law, Charlottesville, VA USA. kbs3br@virginia.edu.
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Abstract

This article examines the interplay between transnational criminal actors (essentially human smugglers), local crime groups, and drug cartels in the phenomenon of trafficking in persons coming from Central America along Mexico’s eastern migration routes. The analysis focuses on sex trafficking, compelled labor for criminal activities, and other forms of labor trafficking. Through qualitative research that involved 336 semistructured interviews with migrants, activists, and other persons familiar with the subject, this work describes and maps trafficking trends throughout Mexico’s eastern migration routes. It also sheds light on the role of drug cartels and other crime groups (local and transnational) in these activities.

Keywords

Human traffickingmigrant smugglingdrug cartelsirregular migrationorganized crime
Type
Research Notes
Information
Latin American Politics and Society , Volume 64 , Issue 3 , August 2022 , pp. 142 - 160
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the University of Miami

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Footnotes

Conflicts of interest: Authors Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera and Kathleen Blair Schaefer declare none.

References

Interviews

2015. Staff member, NGO Casa de la Mujer. Tecún Umán, Guatemala. October 2.Google Scholar
2015. Migrant woman. Tapachula, Chiapas. September 30.Google Scholar
2015. Conversation with a group of migrant rights advocates. Toluca, State of Mexico. December 18.Google Scholar
2016. Migrant shelter worker, Casa Tochán. Mexico City. September 1.Google Scholar
2016. Social worker, Casa del Migrante de Saltillo. Saltillo, Coahuila. February 25.Google Scholar
2016. Conversation with a group of migrant shelter workers, Casa del Migrante San Juan Diego y San Francisco de Asís. Matamoros, Tamaulipas. September 17.Google Scholar
2016. Migrant woman, Senda de Vida migrant shelter. Reynosa, Tamaulipas. April 20.Google Scholar
2016. Sex worker, Sanborns restaurant. Cancún, Quintana Roo. September 28.Google Scholar
2015. State police officer, municipal dump. Tapachula, Chiapas. October 4.Google Scholar
2015. Human rights advocate, Centro de Derechos Humanos Fray Matías de Córdova. Tapachula, Chiapas. October 5.Google Scholar
2015. Director of migrant shelter. Tapachula, Chiapas. October 4.Google Scholar
2015. Former coordinator, National Commission of Human Rights (CNDH) office in Tapachula. Tapachula, Chiapas. October 5.Google Scholar
2016. Researcher, Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO). Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala. January 23.Google Scholar
2016. Journalist. Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz. January 18.Google Scholar
2016. Professor, Universidad del Caribe. Cancún, Quintana Roo. September 28.Google Scholar

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