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Honduran Uber driver pauses US migration plans amid ICE crackdown
Elías Padilla, a ride-hail driver in Tegucigalpa, has delayed his journey to the United States after witnessing images of undocumented immigrants being detained by federal agents in major US cities.
Fear of deportation delays dreams of better wages
Padilla, who earns as little as $12 during 12-hour shifts in Honduras's capital, had spent over a year saving for the trip. He calculated that an hour of work in the US would match a full day's earnings at home.
"I want to improve my life because we earn so little here," he said while navigating Tegucigalpa's congested streets. "But I see what Trump is doing, and it's made me reconsider."
Instead of risking immediate deportation, Padilla has decided to wait and assess whether Honduras's recent presidential election brings economic relief.
Remittances surge as undocumented migrants rush to send savings home
While the Trump administration's enforcement actions have discouraged new migration, they have also triggered an unexpected economic effect: a sharp rise in remittances from Hondurans already living in the US.
Between January and October 2025, remittances to Honduras jumped 26% compared to the same period last year. Despite fewer Hondurans residing in the US, the total sent home reached $10.1 billion in the first nine months of 2025-surpassing the $9.7 billion recorded for all of 2024.
Marcos, a construction worker in a major US city who asked to remain anonymous, said he now sends nearly all his earnings to his family in Tegucigalpa. "I used to send $500 a month; now it's more like $300 a week," he said. "I'm in a race against time to secure something for them before ICE catches up with me."
"If I'm detained, I want to know my family has savings to fall back on."
Marcos, Honduran construction worker in the US
People smugglers double fees as migration routes tighten
Trump's policies have also reshaped the illegal migration economy. Jimmy, a former people smuggler who operated for two decades, told the BBC that fees for guiding migrants through Mexico have doubled to $25,000-$30,000 per person.
"Not everyone can afford it," Jimmy said. "But about 40% still make it through, even with the higher costs."
For Padilla, the increased smuggling fees and the risk of deportation have made the journey financially unviable. "I sold personal items to save up, but it's not enough anymore," he said.
Crackdown may only delay migration, not stop it
Despite the deterrent effect of ICE raids, Padilla remains determined to reach the US eventually. "Trump has postponed my plans, not canceled them," he said. "If the economy here doesn't improve, people will keep trying."
With Honduras's economic prospects still dim, many Central Americans view migration as their only viable path to stability-even if the journey has become riskier and more expensive.
