One Week into 2012 and Deportation Numbers are Already Climbing

     It hadn't even been a full week into 2012 when El Mundo reported that the numbers of Salvadorans begin deported from the United States is escalating.
    Last Thursday a flight arrived in San Salvador with 114 illegal immigrants on board being returned to the Salvadoran immigration authorities. According to authorities this is the third flight of the week. The previous two had 80 and 60 reported illegal immigrants. Authorities report that the total number of deportees returned to El Salvador in 2011 was 25,845. With 260 deported in less than the first week of the year, 2012's numbers are projected to rival and possibly surpass last years.
     The immigration report also states that of these 260, 97 are reported criminals, having committed a crime of drug trafficking, illegal possession of firearms, domestic violence, sexual assault, and or belonging to a gang in the United States. Welcoming these criminals back into their country, where the same acts could possibly be committed, concerns the Salvadoran authorities that are already battling staggering homicide rates and gang involvement.
    In order to help address this area of concern, the Salvadoran government provides a 'Welcome Home' shelter in San Salvador where their returning citizens (both with and without the criminal record) can receive counseling, food and medical care. In addition to this, the government also provides money for bus fare so that they may return to the city or village that they came from. The expectation of the Salvadoran government is that by providing these services the illegal immigrants will return "home" and not become a repeat offender. This unfortunately, as anyone can see, is wishful thinking by only putting a band-aid on a deeply infected wound. Assisting in the return process does not change the essential reasons behind why so many Salvadorans left El Salvador illegally in the first place. And the majority of these reasons are put on the back burner as the government attempts to tackle one issue at a time starting with the high crime and homicide rate.
    In fact, the previous Director of Immigration requested that the United States slow down on the deportation. And that the U.S. provide a criminal record in advance to the deportation, especially of those who have committed serious crimes so that the Salvadoran authorities can track and monitor them more effectively, rather than letting them roam free in E.S. -free to commit the same crimes.
    With only one week into 2012, the issue of immigration and deportation does not look to bright for Salvadorans. There are, thankfully, almost a full 12 months to create change and turn this unfavorable situation around.