Fearing deportation, Hondurans in the US send more cash home than ever before

December 28, 2025

Elías Padilla, a Honduran Uber driver who spent over a year saving money to migrate to the United States, has postponed his plans after witnessing aggressive immigration enforcement operations under the Trump administration. While the visible ICE raids have successfully deterred some potential migrants like Elías, they have simultaneously triggered an unexpected economic consequence: undocumented Hondurans already in the US are sending dramatically more money home, viewing it as a race against time before potential deportation. Remittances to Honduras surged 26% compared to the previous year, with migrants like construction worker Marcos increasing transfers from $500 monthly to $300 weekly to ensure their families have resources if they are arrested.

Who is affected

Elías Padilla, an Uber driver in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, saving to migrate to the US
Undocumented Honduran immigrants currently living in major US cities (Los Angeles, Chicago, Charlotte, Minneapolis)
Marcos (pseudonym), a construction worker living undocumented in the US for five years
Marcos's wife and two children in Tegucigalpa
Families in Honduras receiving remittances
Jimmy (pseudonym), a former people smuggler/coyote
Potential migrants who cannot afford increased smuggling costs
The broader Honduran economy dependent on remittances

What action is being taken

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are conducting operations in major US cities, arresting and removing undocumented immigrants
Undocumented Hondurans in the US are sending increased remittances home to their families
Marcos is sending $300 per week (increased from $500 per month) to his wife and children in Honduras
People smugglers are charging elevated fees ($25,000-30,000 per person, doubled from previous rates)

Why it matters

The Trump administration's immigration enforcement operations are having dual and contradictory effects on Honduras. While successfully deterring some would-be migrants from attempting the dangerous journey north, the aggressive raids have sparked a surge in remittances as undocumented workers rush to send money home before potential arrest, creating an unexpected economic windfall for Honduras. Remittances increased to over $10.1 billion in just nine months of 2025 compared to $9.7 billion for all of 2024, representing a crucial lifeline for Honduran families given the country's difficult economic conditions where Uber drivers can earn as little as $12 in a 12-hour workday. The situation also highlights the human cost of immigration policy, as families are separated and individuals must choose between poverty at home and the risk of deportation abroad.

What's next

Elías Padilla is waiting to see what changes Honduras's new government brings following the recent presidential election, hoping domestic conditions will improve. He plans to wait out either the current wave of ICE raids or the entire Trump presidency before attempting migration again. Marcos is preparing financially for the possibility of his arrest and potential detention for up to two months. No other explicit next steps are stated in the article.

Read full article from source: BBC