El Norte or Bust!

Focusing on the plight of the Mayas in Nebaj, Guatemala, the narrative explores the intersection of migration and economic crisis. As land scarcity forces youth to seek better opportunities in the U.S., they resort to smuggling themselves using development aid funds. This creates a pyramid scheme of migration, where the burden of debt and risk is passed among families and communities. Stoll argues that this cycle of ever-increasing debt is a significant driving force behind undocumented migration, highlighting the human cost of economic desperation.