The Route Back Home? The Challenges of Migrant Reintegration Policies in Ecuador

Abstract

The increasing number of Ecuadorian migrants forcibly deported from the United States presents a pressing challenge to Ecuador’s social protection system. This article compares the current return plan called “Ecuador es tu Hogar” (Ecuador is your home) developed by Daniel Noboa's liberal government, with the past reintegration program “Bienvenid@s a Casa” (Welcome Home) designed during the regime of former left-wing president Rafael Correa. The objective of this study is to determine the characteristics that two distinct ideological regimes considered in their response to returnees and their reintegration. Through the Most Similar Systems Design methodology, the research sought to identify the variables that impacted the execution of these policies, as well as the influence that the ideological framework had on their construction. As such, the study demonstrates that the current reintegration policies are affected by independent variables like the profile of the returnees, the investment available, and the role of migrants in development that shaped each government. The main findings consider that reintegration policies focusing only on economic aid fall short under complex social environments and lack long-term political vision. Based on this, the study intends to contribute to the overall discourse surrounding the intersection of migration and social policy, particularly relevant through the current context of deportations and protection challenges, while arguing for a shift toward a rights-based, inclusive approach to reintegration, supported by evaluation mechanisms, intersectoral collaboration, and investment in social protection systems.