Hondurans in the US Increase Remittances Amid Fear of Deportation

Sun Dec 28 2025 23:40:22 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Hondurans living in the United States are sending more money back home than ever in response to fears of deportation amid strict immigration policies. This surge is reshaping both the economy of Honduras and the lives of the immigrants.

In light of heightened fears surrounding deportation, many Hondurans in the United States are increasing the amount they send back home. The recent immigration policies have not only changed the plans of many would-be migrants but have also led to a record rise in remittances to Honduras. This influx of cash provides crucial support for families while also illustrating the complex impact of immigration enforcement on both sides of the border.

For over a year, Elías Padilla had been saving up to make the journey from Honduras to the United States as an undocumented immigrant. As an Uber driver in the snarled streets of the capital, Tegucigalpa, it hasn't been easy for him to put money aside. On bad days he makes as little as $12 (£9) in 12 hours. Now, though, his plans are on hold.

The images of undocumented immigrants in major US cities being dragged away by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, their wrists in zip-ties, have deterred at least one would-be immigrant in Central America from travelling north. I want to improve my life conditions because we earn very little here, Elías explains as we drive around the city. Take this line of work, for example: an Uber driver in the US makes in an hour what I'd make in a day.
Like most Honduran immigrants, Elías says the main aim of reaching the US would be to send remittances home.

However, the policies have brought an unexpected windfall to the Honduran economy: the thousands of Hondurans who live undocumented and under the radar in major US cities are sending home more remittances than ever. Between January and October this year, there was a 26% rise in remittances to Honduras compared with the same period the previous year. In fact, even though their numbers are dwindling in the US, Hondurans increased the amount they sent home from $9.7bn (£7.2bn) in 2024 to more than $10.1bn (£7.5bn) in just the first nine months of this year.

Marcos, who has lived in the US for five years working in construction, said, Most of the money I send home is for the family to cover their basics like food. But also, so they can put something to one side to buy a little land on which we can eventually build a house, maybe buy a car. He has steadily increased the amount he sends to his wife and two children in the Honduran capital, from $500 a month to more like $300 dollars a week.

Immigration policies under the Trump administration have created an atmosphere of fear. Companies in the smuggling industry are also seeing the impact; the price to illegally cross into the United States has doubled due to escalating risks. This has made it increasingly unaffordable for some.

Still, many Hondurans, like Elías, view emigrating as a future necessity, even if they delay their plans due to the current immigration climate, believing the issues back home can only postpone so many journeys.