Analysts and policymakers have long blamed factors like violence or lack of economic opportunities for Central American out-migration. These factors, however, are merely symptoms of a disease: historically weak states.

Conflicted: Voices of Central American Migrants explores the mindset of conflicted migrants-migrants whose states have failed them. Migrants whose states are broken after unresolved social issues dating back to civil wars and social revolutions since the 1970s. Migrants whose states have not provided their citizens with proper security. Migrants who are forced to make a heart-wrenching decision to leave Central America.


Conflicted seeks to explain what drives the region's modern exodus.

• What are the root reasons why Central Americans are leaving their countries?
• What are some of the challenges that weak Central American states still face in protecting their citizens at home?
• How can we learn from past mistakes and move forward to protect Central Americans in their home countries?

Through unflinching, deeply personal storytelling, Conflicted illuminates real world struggles and reveals that when the options are to leave everything behind or stay to face danger, exploitation, lack of opportunities, or even death-sometimes migration truly is the only choice.