Some of them are migrant workers from Mexico hoping to cross over into the us to find jobs.

Those from El Salvador and Honduras are most likely attempting to escape gangs who will kill them or their families in sight.

The two major gangs in Central America, MS13 and the 18th Street, make a majority of their regular income off extortion rackets. People pay them for “protection”, meaning they are essentially robbed on threat of death on a monthly basis. If you don’t pay, you die, your family dies, they torture you, or some combo thereof.

Some of the refugees have gotten caught up in the violence. I was listening to an interview with a young Honduran man whose girlfriend caught the eye of some gangbangers. When she turned down their advances, they put a hit out on him. He stayed put at first, but the first attempt they made on his life killed his mother. He escaped, and after that he knew his choice was either get out of Latin America or die.