Migration to the United States: More Central Americans, fewer Mexicans

The economies of several Central American countries may get a boost, as migrants to the United States send back part of their earnings.

Undocumented Central American immigrants to the United States, mainly from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, are displacing Mexicans, who last year represented 52 percent of total undocumented immigrants, down from 57 percent five years earlier, according to the Pew Research Center, based on the value of remittances.

Meanwhile, the total number of undocumented immigrants in the US was 11.7 last year, compared to 11.3 million in 2009.

Almost all undocumented migrants in the United States come from Mexico or Central America.

Remittances to Guatemala and Honduras are up 10 percent so far this year, compared to the same period in 2012, while remittances to El Salvador are 3 percent higher.

Migration patterns may reflect general conditions of employment.

Mexico is not booming.

But it is growing faster and creating more jobs than El Salvador, Guatemala or Honduras.