Isaías continued to work as a greens-keeper at a Florida golf
course for two more years. By staying in the United States
and sending home his earnings, he could provide more for
his family than if he went home. He returned to Guatemala
in 2008, where he now works the plot of land financed by his
work as an immigrant, growing potatoes, beans, and corn.
Migration to the United States helped Isaías and his
family economically, but the impact of his years abroad—
although important—is limited. As a greens-keeper, Isaías
learned how to operate large irrigation systems. He’d like
to be able to use this knowledge in Guatemala to grow potatoes on a scale large enough to make money, not just to feed
his family. ”I learned a lot but there’s no possibility to do it
here,” Isaías said. “There are no resources, machines. The
things they have there, they don’t have here.”
Remittances in the Northern Triangle
Immigrants from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras
sent home more than $10 billion in remittances16 in 2010—
almost all of it from the United States.17 That year remittances were 17 percent of GDP in Honduras, 16 percent
in El Salvador, and 10 percent in Guatemala18 (see Table
4). Remittances dwarf both foreign direct investment and
overseas development aid.19 In 2008 El Salvador received
$3.8 billion in remittances, $800 million in foreign direct investment, and $200 million in development assistance.20 As
one Salvadoran analyst put it, “If you took away remittances
there would be a major crisis.” )I