The Far Away Brothers: Two Young Migrants and the Making of an American Life

Central and South American migrants refer to the trek to the United States, Canada, and Northern Mexico as “going north.” Immigration across the United States’ southern border was predominantly comprised of Mexicans, but increasing numbers of Central American immigrants also journey north and enter the United States through the southern border to flee gang violence in their home countries. Going north is a common aspect of life for many Central Americans, especially young men from the Northern Triangle. El Salvador’s president jokes that the country’s chief export is its people. Three of the four Flores boys go north, as do most of their friends, and their sister Maricela dreams of going north.

Far away brothers are Central American siblings who have migrated to the United States and cannot return. Ernesto and Raúl live in El Salvador for seven years with a far away brother before migrating and becoming far away brothers themselves to their other siblings. The far away brother relationship is bittersweet, if not sad: The siblings in the United States ostensibly have a better life, but they will likely never see their families again. If they leave the United States, they must sneak back in, which is risky and dangerous.