link to page 1 link to page 1 
Updated July 17, 2019
U.S. Strategy for Engagement in Central America: An Overview
Introduction
The Trump Administration initially maintained the strategy
Instability in Central America is a pressing challenge for
but adjusted it to place more emphasis on preventing illegal
U.S. policy in the Western Hemisphere. Several nations—
immigration, combating transnational crime, and generating
particularly El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras in the
opportunities for U.S. businesses. The Administration also
“Northern Triangle” of Central America—are struggling
sought to scale back funding for the initiative. Although
with widespread insecurity, fragile political and judicial
Congress has rejected some of the Administration’s
systems, and high levels of poverty and unemployment.
proposed reductions, annual assistance to Central America
has declined by nearly 30% since FY2016 (see Figure 2).
The inability of Central American governments to
effectively address those challenges has had far-reaching
The future of the Central America strategy is now in
implications for the United States. Transnational criminal
question, as the Trump Administration has begun closing
organizations have used the Central American corridor for a
down foreign assistance programs in the Northern Triangle.
range of illicit activities, including the trafficking of
Some Members of Congress have objected to the
approximately 90% of cocaine bound for the United States.
Administration’s abrupt policy shift and have introduced
Central America also has surpassed Mexico as the largest
legislation that would restrict its ability to transfer funds
source of irregular migration to the United States. In the
away from the region. The decisions made by the 116th
first nine months of FY2019, U.S. authorities apprehended
Congress could play a crucial role in determining the
more than 511,000 unauthorized migrants from the
direction of U.S. policy toward Central America in the
Northern Triangle at the southwest border (see Figure 1).
coming years.
Nearly 82% of those apprehended were unaccompanied
minors or families, many of whom were seeking
Funding
humanitarian protection
Since FY2016, Congress has appropriated nearly $2.6
billion for the U.S. Strategy for Engagement in Central
Figure 1. U.S. Apprehensions of Northern Triangle
America. The funding has been divided fairly evenly
Nationals at the Southwest Border: FY2011-FY2019
between bilateral assistance programs focused on good
governance, economic growth, and social welfare and
Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI)
programs intended to prevent violence, reform justice-
sector institutions, and combat gangs and organized crime.
The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International
Development have allocated the vast majority of that aid to
the Northern Triangle, including at least 76% of the funding
appropriated in FY2016 and FY2017.
Figure 2. Appropriations for the U.S. Strategy for
Engagement in Central America: FY2016-FY2020
Source: CRS presentation of data from U.S. Customs and Border
Protection, “U.S. Border Patrol Nationwide Apprehensions by
Citizenship and Sector in FY2007-FY2018;” and “U.S. Border Patrol
Southwest Border Apprehensions by Sector Fiscal Year 2019,” press
release, July 10, 2019.
Notes: FY19* includes October 2018-June 2019.
In 2014, the Obama Administration determined that it was
in the national security interests of the United States to
work with Central American governments to promote
economic prosperity, improve security, and strengthen
Sources: U.S. Department of State, Congressional Budget
governance. It approved a new, whole-of-government U.S.
Justifications for Foreign Operations, FY2017-FY2020; and H.Rept.
Strategy for Engagement in Central America and, with
116-9.
congressional support, more than doubled aid to the region.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
U.S. Strategy for Engagement in Central America: An Overview
Conditions
States-Northern Triangle Enhanced Engagement Act (H.R.
Congress has placed strict conditions on assistance to the
2615), passed by the House in July 2019, would authorize
Northern Triangle in an attempt to bolster reform efforts in
$577 million for Central America in FY2020 and require
the region. According to the Consolidated Appropriations
FY2020 funds withheld from the Northern Triangle
Act, 2019 (P.L. 116-6), 50% of assistance for the central
governments to be made available for other programs in the
governments of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras
region. The Central America Reform and Enforcement Act
must be withheld until the Secretary of State certifies that
(S. 1445), introduced in the Senate in May 2019, would
the governments are addressing 16 congressional concerns.
authorize $1.5 billion for Central America and prohibit the
These include improving border security, combating
Administration from reprograming any of the funds
corruption, countering gangs and organized crime,
appropriated for the Northern Triangle since FY2016.
supporting programs to reduce poverty and promote
equitable economic growth, and protecting the right of
Regional Developments
political opposition parties and other members of civil
The governments of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras
society to operate without interference. The State
are carrying out complementary efforts under their Plan of
Department has yet to certify that any of the countries have
the Alliance for Prosperity in the Northern Triangle. They
met the FY2019 conditions. Similar certifications for
collectively have allocated $7.2 billion for the initiative
FY2018 are also still pending.
since 2016 and, with U.S. support, have made some
tentative progress.
Potential Suspension of U.S. Assistance
Since March 2019, when the Trump Administration
Economic growth has remained steady since 2014,
announced its intention to end foreign aid to the Northern
averaging 2.3% per year in El Salvador, 3.5% in
Triangle, the State Department reportedly has reviewed
Guatemala, and 3.9% in Honduras, according to the
over 700 foreign assistance programs in the region. In June
International Monetary Fund. The stable macroeconomic
2019, the State Department announced that it is holding
situation has not translated into better living conditions for
approximately $164 million (26%) of the $620 million of
many households, however, as approximately 26% of
assistance that was planned for the Northern Triangle in
Salvadorans, 59% of Guatemalans, and 67% of Hondurans
FY2017. It also has begun to reprogram $404 million (82%)
live below their national poverty lines.
of the $490 million that was planned for the Northern
Triangle in FY2018. The State Department asserts that it
Security conditions in the region have improved in some
will continue foreign assistance programs that support
respects, with homicide rates falling in all three countries in
priorities of the Departments of Justice and Homeland
each of the past three years. The Northern Triangle
Security to help Northern Triangle governments counter
countries remain among the most violent in the world,
transnational crime and improve border security.
however, with homicide rates of 22 per 100,000 in
Guatemala, 41 per 100,000 in Honduras, and 51 per
It remains unclear whether the Administration intends to
100,000 in El Salvador in 2018. The percentage of
withhold assistance appropriated in FY2019 or revise its
individuals reporting that they were victims of crime in the
FY2020 budget proposal, which requested $445 million for
past year increased in all three nations from 2014 to 2017,
Central America, including at least $180 million for the
according to the Latin American Public Opinion Project.
Northern Triangle. However, the State Department has
declared, “We will not provide new funds for programs in
Efforts to improve governance have produced mixed
those countries until we are satisfied the Northern Triangle
results. The attorneys general of El Salvador, Guatemala,
governments are taking concrete actions to reduce the
and Honduras—with the support of the U.N.-backed
number of illegal migrants coming to the U.S. border.”
International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala
(CICIG) and the Organization of American States–backed
Congress appears to have provided the President with
Mission to Support the Fight Against Corruption and
significant authority—in annual appropriations legislation
Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH)—have begun to
(P.L. 115-141) and the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as
investigate and prosecute high-level corruption cases. Their
amended (22 U.S.C. §§2151 et seq.)—to reprogram
efforts have generated considerable pushback, however, and
assistance away from the Northern Triangle. If Congress
the Guatemalan and Honduran governments have sought to
thinks the Administration is using that authority in ways
undermine CICIG and MACCIH repeatedly. The region has
that do not reflect congressional intent, it could enact
also experienced democratic backsliding, with Freedom
legislation to restrict the Administration’s ability to transfer
House reporting erosions in political rights and/or civil
or reprogram assistance. For example, the Labor, Health
liberties in all three Northern Triangle nations since 2014.
and Human Services, Education, Defense, State, Foreign
Operations, and Energy and Water Development
Additional Analysis
Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 2740), passed by the House
For additional analysis, see CRS In Focus IF11151, Central
in June 2019, would appropriate “not less than” $540.85
American Migration: Root Causes and U.S. Policy and
million for Central America and strengthen the funding
CRS Report R44812, U.S. Strategy for Engagement in
directives for FY2017, FY2018, and FY2019 foreign aid
Central America: Policy Issues for Congress.
appropriations for the region.
Peter J. Meyer, Analyst in Latin American Affairs
Two authorization bills also would increase congressional
influence over U.S. policy in Central America. The United
IF10371
https://crsreports.congress.gov
U.S. Strategy for Engagement in Central America: An Overview
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10371 · VERSION 12 · UPDATED