From stigma to self-sufficiency—this grassroots organization is redefining what reintegration means for returned migrants.

The Center for the Integration of Migrant Workers (CIMITRA), explains the shift in the work dynamics for organizations supporting deported migrants in El Salvador following Donald Trump’s return to the presidency of the United States.

The controversy sparked by the deportation of migrants accused of criminal charges by the U.S. to the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) has overshadowed a parallel reality: the ongoing deportation of migrants being sent back to Latin American countries.

To date, El Salvador has not released any official information about how many people have been deported since Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office. However, the watchdog group “Witnesses at the Border” reports that at least 34 deportation flights have landed in El Salvador.

CMITRA is an association officially named the Center for the Integration of Migrant Workers. They started operating in 2018 and gained legal recognition in 2019. They were established to support people returning to El Salvador, either through deportation or voluntary return—which they say isn’t truly voluntary, because there’s usually a circumstance that forces the person to come back.

Voluntary is when someone truly says, “I don’t want to stay here anymore; I’m going back.” But most of the time, there’s an underlying reason—like their asylum request being denied after years of waiting. Or family emergencies, such as a relative’s serious illness or death. So, it’s not entirely voluntary, but that’s the term used.

CIMITRA is founded by Salvadorans in the U.S. who work with day laborers—specifically NDILON (the National Day Laborer Organizing Network). They envisioned centers like CIMITRA in migrants’ countries of origin to support reintegration. Since then, their funding sources have expanded—they now work with the Methodist Church, the Lutheran World Federation, Swiss Contact, among others. By 2025, they now have several institutional alliances that support our programs and operations.

In the past, most returnees were detained in Mexico or at the U.S. border. Many hadn’t lived in the U.S. for very long. That was the dominant profile, although there were some who had spent years in the U.S.

One of the biggest challenges confronted these days is that there’s no formal mechanism for referring cases. For example, someone might arrive at GAMI (the Migrant Services Unit), and whether they get referred to an organization depends on their needs and profile. It’s a major gap.

The lack of a referral mechanism represents a serious issue for deportees. Because once someone goes through immigration processing, they may not identify as a deportee. They’re ashamed, scared—they go home and isolate themselves. CIMITRA reports that they have seen cases where they don’t leave their house for months out of fear of social stigma.

CIMITRA relies heavily on community outreach. El Salvador is small, and people know who left and who returned. When they hear that a person has come back, they reach out, explain what CIMITRA does, and offer to support their reintegration—into family life, the community, and the country.

They guide them and, when possible, provide training, certifications, employment referrals, or support for starting a business. They also work with inter-institutional networks organized by groups like the IOM (International Organization for Migration), civil society, or local governments.

They collaborate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ migrant service windows. They refer cases to them. They also receive referrals through CIMITRA’s social media and from other institutions that work on migration issues.

It’s hard to get a precise number of people being helped because people are referred through various programs. Just in their socioeconomic reintegration program—with a productive grant—they helped over 150 people. They provide follow-up for 1–2 years: visiting them, evaluating progress, and offering guidance. For example, if someone runs a food business and hygiene isn’t up to standard, they help them improve. That’s part of their long-term follow-up.

Their goal is to build their capacity so that even if CIMITRA is no longer present, the business is sustainable—not one that will disappear in 2 or 3 months.

They emphasize on working on the person’s environment, it’s hard for them to succeed. If they face stigma or discrimination from family or community for being a returned migrant, their emotional state is fragile. Without support, it’s very hard for them to thrive.

They focus on the person, their environment, skills training, certification, job search or entrepreneurship. They handle urgent needs and also focus on their medium-term future.

Most people they work with are from rural areas and tend to prefer entrepreneurship over formal employment. However, in urban areas like San Salvador, some do seek jobs.

There are employment platforms and private companies that partner with them. Some even have hiring policies favoring returned migrants, especially those with U.S. experience.

They favor returned migrants because they often have skills that are more advanced than local standards—like in construction or solar panel installation. But they need to get certified locally so their salaries match their expertise. That’s why certification programs are key.

Without consistent support, people are likely to try migrating again. CIMITRA’s key concepts are rootedness, identity, and empowerment. People need to feel they belong in their communities. Many return to the same towns they left. Building that sense of place helps.

Rootedness is about belonging to a community. Identity is about embracing your experience as a returned migrant. That helps reduce stigma. There are thousands of returned migrants in El Salvador now. It’s a real, growing community.

Being a returned migrant isn’t shameful. It’s powerful testimony—especially for those considering migration. It shows the risks, the discrimination, and the hard truth that life in the U.S. isn’t always a paradise. Remittances come from enormous sacrifice. Many migrants in the U.S. sleep only a few hours because they juggle three or four jobs.

CIMITRA has a good track record of, because of their services, people staying in El Salvador and not migrating to the U.S. again. The key is their follow-up. Many institutions give startup funds, but without follow-up, it’s hard for people to move forward.

Before, most people they helped had just been caught at the border. Few had lived long in the U.S. But since 2025, that’s changed.

Now, most of the deported people they see had lived 10, 15, even 30 years in the U.S. Some others may have left voluntarily out of fear of being detained or mistreated. No one denies that some may have committed crimes—but for most, the “crime” was crossing the border without documents, in search of a better life.

Applying these programs that CIMITRY offers are harder to implement with long term U.S. residents. Their main focus used to be entrepreneurship. But now, the trend may shift toward certification and employment, since many returnees already have technical training. They are currently reviewing their programs to see how they fit this new profile.

As the profile of deported migrants evolves, so must the strategies that support them. CIMITRA stands at the crossroads of change—working tirelessly to turn return into reintegration. In a time when migration policies grow harsher, CIMITRA offers something revolutionary: dignity, rootedness, and a second chance at belonging.

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