Data from interviews across multiple countries show most ‘migrants’ cited economic reasons rather than persecution in seeking entry to the United States.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A recent survey of migrants deported from or stranded along migration routes to the United States found that a small percentage identified political persecution as the primary reason for seeking asylum, while a majority cited economic motivations.
According to findings included in a broader report compiled by pro-migration organizations, only 3.7% of 364 respondents said they left their home countries due to “political opinion,” a key legal basis for asylum under U.S. law as defined in this statutory provision. By comparison, 54% reported leaving primarily for “economy and employment.”
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The survey is part of a report titled “How Cruel Migration Policies Hurt People,” which is scheduled to be presented at an upcoming event on March 26. The report was led by the American Friends Service Committee and draws on interviews conducted in El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica.
U.S. immigration law generally limits asylum eligibility to individuals who can demonstrate persecution based on factors such as political opinion, with economic motivations not qualifying under the standard asylum framework. The findings indicate that most respondents would not meet that threshold.
The report includes personal accounts from migrants describing their journeys and experiences. One Salvadoran respondent recounted being transported by a Mexican police officer for a fee and later escaping after being held and threatened, before ultimately being deported. Another account from a Venezuelan child described an injury sustained while traveling north with his father and being apprehended by authorities.
Many respondents reported extended stays in the United States prior to deportation. According to the survey, 57% said they had lived in the country for more than six years, and 34% reported residing there for over a decade before being removed.
The report also described financial burdens carried by migrants, including debts incurred to fund their journeys. Many said they had planned to repay those obligations through employment in the United States but were unable to do so after deportation or being stranded along migration routes.
In one account, a Venezuelan migrant in Costa Rica described the emotional and financial toll of separation from family members and the difficulty of securing stable income. Others said their immediate priority after returning to their home regions was finding work to support themselves and their families.
Survey data indicated that employment needs were the most frequently cited concern among respondents, with 82% of those deported from the United States identifying the need for income as urgent, along with 67% of those deported from Mexico and 53% of those stranded during migration.
The report characterizes deportations as “forced return” and frames migration decisions within broader personal and economic circumstances. It also notes that some respondents identified with nontraditional gender categories.
Separate federal data show differing asylum approval rates across administrations. Under President Joe Biden, nearly half of asylum requests were approved, while under President Donald Trump, approval rates were significantly lower, including figures reported in February 2026 by TRAC.
The findings highlight distinctions between legal asylum standards and the motivations cited by many migrants interviewed, as policymakers continue to debate immigration enforcement and asylum policy in the United States.
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