A new intelligence assessment concludes that
misperceptions about U.S. immigration policy and not Central American violence are fueling the surge of thousands of children illegally crossing the Mexican border.
The 10-page July 7 report was issued by the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC), which according to the Justice Department website is led by the DEA and incorporates Homeland Security. Its focus is on the collection and distribution of tactical intelligence, information which can immediately be acted on by law enforcement.
"Of the 230 migrants interviewed, 219 cited the primary reason for migrating to the United States was the perception of U.S. immigration laws granting free passes or permisos to UAC (unaccompanied children) and adult females OTMs (other than Mexicans) traveling with minors, the report said.
Report: Unaccompanied Minors Coming to U.S. For Amnesty, Not Fleeing Violence - Katie Pavlich
Wow! so where did 95% of the interviewed get the information the USA would give them "permisos"?
of the whole report. I could only find the first 5 pages of 10. It would help, as always if we knew exactly what we were talking about. Your last question about where they got the information is more or less answered by the title of the report of which you bolded in part at your opening. The whole title is;
Misperceptions of U.S. Policy Key
Driver in Central American Migrant Surge
Misinformation is cited as a major factor throughout the first 5 pages at least. Violence is also cited as a key factor for a signifigant %. As here;
"EPIC assesses that family reunification, rampant gang violence, and poor economic conditions remain traditional migration drivers for Central Americans en route to the United States, based on academic studies and migrant interviews."
And here;
"In May 2013, UNHCR conducted interviews on 302 unaccompanied minors from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Of the aggregate, 43% indicated violence from gangs or organized crime as a factor for leaving their home country; 22% indicated abuse at home as a factor; while 44% did not cite fear of serious harm as a deciding factor for leaving. Individual country results, however, do indicate societal violence is a predominate factor affecting UAC from El Salvador." 25
The passages citing misinformation and rumors go much like these;
"...driven by traditional migration factors exacerbated by misperceptions of recent U.S. immigration policies among migrants. These misperceptions are likely fueled by human smugglers and Central American mediaproviding deliberate, errant, or unwitting reporting to migrants on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) memorandum and comprehensive U.S. immigration reform."
And;
'EPIC judges that alien smuggling organizations and individual smugglers are likely responsible for perpetuating rumors encouraging the Central American migration surge to increase their financial gain. Honduran and Guatemalan immigration officials attribute the UAC surge to alien smugglers, or coyotes, preying on mothers and children by motivating them with false U.S. amnesty or asylum rumors, according to Costa Rican press reporting".10
And;
"According to a body of U.S. and International press reporting, coyotes have dispensed misinformation to convince migrants that they have a clear path to U.S. citizenship if they make it into the United States". 13
The group ("Of the 230 migrants interviewed, 219 cited the primary reason for migrating to the United States was the perception of U.S. immigration laws...) you mentioned were not a large % of the illegals interviewed but on reading the report it sounds like the "perceptions" in the quote includes misperceptions.
When the report says;
"These misperceptions are likely fueled by human smugglers and Central American mediaproviding deliberate, errant, or unwitting reporting to migrants on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) memorandum and comprehensive U.S. immigration reform".
Myself I can't help concluding that it wasn't only Central American media dispensing misinformation. Some American media outlets and many web sites in their zeal to bash this Administration have misrepresented the truth and published exaggerated and misleading info on current immigration policy.