There is not much consensus on what the root causes of migration actually are, and little evidence to show that addressing them actually reduces migration.
Citing national security, Ecuador, Peru and Chile have all made it harder for Venezuelan migrants to enter the country, and xenophobia is rising across the region – even in more welcoming Colombia.
A greater focus on the well-established migrant populations and second-generation youth is crucial when planning for the social and economic well-being of rural and regional areas.
Conflicts about policing the border have erupted in much of the world. How people respond depends on the many distinct visions of what borders are meant to be protecting.