Why Central American aid cuts could mean more migration, not less

The U.S. immigration system is at a “breaking point,” the head of Customs and Border Protection said last month. But how do you stem the flow of migration from Central America?

Last week, President Donald Trump announced a dramatic new approach: cutting $450 million in aid to Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, the home countries of tens of thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers. The region’s governments should pull their weight in slowing the outflow of citizens, the White House announcement suggests – and if not, why “reward” them with aid?...