USAID implements hundreds of projects a year in Central America in an effort to improve the lives of the people living there. It's admirable work that has been increasingly tied to one questionable goal: Keeping people from wanting, if not needing, to leave their communities.

In this episode, researcher Reva Resstacks brings us back to a high-level look at the United States' relationship with Central America, this time focused on international development efforts. Reva invites us to question the premise of "Root Causes" Strategy itself and ask whether it's smart - let alone right - to have a goal that envisions less people pursuing better lives in the U.S.

Credits

Guest: Reva Resstack, Research Assistant at the Center for Global Development. Co-Author of “Addressing the “Root Causes” of Irregular Migration from Central America: An Evidence Agenda for USAID”

Host: Joseph Flores

Producer: Joseph Flores

Sponsored by the Strauss Center for International Security and Law.

For the full interview text and more resources, visit the Tangled Roots website here.