The hotly politicized migrant caravan coming from Central American consists of mostly of nationals from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Migrants fleeing political oppression, systemic rape, or genocide deserve consideration for asylum. But those seeking economic refuge should wait at the back of the immigration line like everyone else.

Despite the media’s monolithic portrayal of the caravan, Central America has distinct and diverse countries, all grappling with a variety of sources of instability. While economic distress is indeed distressing, it alone is not grounds for seeking immediate refuge in a foreign country. Countries like Guatemala present a different story.