Today, nearly three out of every four Hondurans living in the U.S. (74%) arrived after 2000, with many of those currently at risk of deportation, possibly being forced to return to the conditions that initially forced them to migrate. Today, there is a significant Honduran population living in the United States.

• In 2022, nearly 525,000 Hondurans resided in the U.S. without regular status.
• As of 2024, there were Honduran 54,290 TPS holders, which expires on July 5, 2025.
• As of 2024, there were 13,230 active DACA recipients of Honduran origin.
• As of 2024, 261,651 Hondurans had final removal orders.
• In 2024, the U.S. forcibly removed 45,923 Hondurans. Of these, CBP detained 40,755, while ICE apprehended 5,168, and 1,104 had pending criminal charges.

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Some characteristics of the Honduran population in the U.S.

In 2023, 47% of Hondurans in the U.S. over the age of 25 had not completed high school, limiting their employment opportunities. Twenty-seven percent of Hondurans live in poverty. The median age of Hondurans was 36, making them the youngest Central American population in the United States, and 71% were economically active.

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Socioeconomic Conditions in Honduras

• In 2023, 56.0% of the population lived in poverty and 23.1% in extreme poverty. In contrast, in the U.S., 13.0% of the population live in poverty and 4.0% in extreme poverty.
• Poverty is more widespread in rural communities (66.3%) than in urban areas (47.8%), in a country where 43.7% of the population lives in rural areas. 
• In 2023, the average monthly income for payroll workers ranged from $3,349 HNL (~$130 USD) to $13,345 HNL (~$518 USD), varying by labor sector. In 2024, the average weekly income for full-time workers in the U.S. was $1,192 USD.
• The Gini coefficient, which measures income distribution inequality on a scale from 0 (absolute equality) to 1 (absolute inequality), was 0.48 in 2023.
• In 2023, 43.2% of the population aged 20-24 had completed a secondary education, the second lowest in the region.
• In 2021, the unemployment rate was 8.6%, and the underemployment rate was 68.2%. Nearly half of the economically active population (43.9%) was employed in the informal sector. 
• Remittances reached $9.7 billion USD in 2024 (25.9% of Honduras’ GDP). 

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Security Concerns

• In 2024, the homicide rate was 25.3 per 100,000 inhabitants, down significantly from a peak of 86.5 per 100,000 in 2012. However, despite this improvement, Honduras remains one of the most dangerous countries in the region.
• While Honduras has been successful at dismantling large criminal organizations, remnants of these criminal groups are still active. Street gangs, such as the Calle 18 and MS-13, also operate in urban centers and dedicate themselves to extortion.
• In 2024, more than 300,000 households were victims of extortion.
• In 2024, Honduras registered 231 femicides and 266 sexual aggressions.  

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Threats from Extreme Weather Events

• The impacts of climate change have undermined the country’s social and economic development, even affecting the enjoyment of human rights.
• Honduras is highly vulnerable to climate change and its associated extreme weather and slow onset events. Climate change is expected to:
  
  • Impact 4 out of 5 of Honduras’ main crops and more than 70% of the country’s exports.
  • Disrupt access to schools, hospitals, and markets. Nearly two-thirds of the country’s road networks are exposed to natural hazards like floods and landslides.
• The government declared the right to a healthy environment a priority, but mining projects and deforestation threaten it.

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Political Context

• Despite pledging to fight corruption, President Xiomara Castro, whose term ends in January 2026, has made no progress in establishing an international anti-corruption commission. It would aim to investigate high-profile cases, propose legislation, and train officials to combat corruption.
• In 2023, 453 human rights defenders and journalists were harassed, threatened, or intimidated, while 17 were killed.
• In 2024, environmental defender Juan Lopez was killed. Lopez devoted himself to fighting against an iron oxide mining project. 
• Honduras ranks 154th among 180 countries in their perceived level of corruption in the public sector, scoring a 22 out of 100.
• In 2024, Honduras was classified as a “Partly Free” Democracy.

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Reintegration

• The Honduran government announced its “Brother, Sister, Return Home” plan to assist deported nationals and those who decide to return voluntarily through government-coordinated programs. The plan includes the following key components:
  
  • Economic ($100 USD per person) and food assistance program;
  • Labor integration and job training;
  • Attention centers, providing access to hygiene kits, food, medical and psychological care, and a transportation voucher; and
  • Access to a $1000 seed capital to promote entrepreneurship. 
• The implementation of the program faces several hurdles. Some main concerns include the availability of resources to fund it, its sustainability, and the ability of the labor market to absorb returnees.

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