Over the past decade, rising rates of violent crime, especially homicide, have turned the Central American northern triangle - Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador - into one of the worlds' most insecure regions. Sources estimate that an average of 19 people per day are murdered in Guatemala, 16 in El Salvador, and 15 in Honduras.

By supporting the June 28, 2009 coup d'état in Honduras when she was secretary of state, Clinton helped create the dire conditions that caused many of these children to flee.

Whether dealing with close U.S. partners or more distant governments, the United States should have the same principled voice for human rights. 2014 was a decent year for change in U.S. policies towards Latin America and the Caribbean. Let's make 2015 a banner year.

Lines at the Costa Rican consulate in Managua are far longer than lines at the U.S. consulate. According to official statistics, at least ten percent of the population of Costa Rica is made up of Nicaraguans, although the population of clandestine migrants is huge.