NATIONWIDE -- The overall number of immigrants living in the U.S. undocumented is currently one of the lowest it's been in 10 years.

• Undocumented immigration lowest in 10 years
• One exception: Central America
• Many trying to escape corruption, violence

But that's not the case for undocumented immigrants from one specific region in Central America.

The number of undocumented immigrants from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras -- otherwise known as the Northern Triangle -- more than tripled between 1990 and 2015, despite the nearly constant changes of immigration laws over the years.

They're also the majority of the people being prosecuted for illegally crossing the border today.

Why are they fleeing?

Most of the conflict began in the 1980s, as the three countries were rocked by civil wars. The region hasn't recovered and continues to be plagued by corruption and drug trafficking, and gang violence keeps people living in these countries in danger. 

As the violence and homicide rates went up over the past few decades, so have the number of people fleeing for safety.

That violence is largely from gangs knowns as MS-13 and MS-18 -- you've probably heard of them. 

But did you know they were actually formed in the US?

When people were fleeing in the 80s, many settled in low-income areas in Los Angeles, turning to gangs for protection and money.

Response to immigration process

The past three administrations in the U.S. -- Clinton, Bush and Obama -- focused on deportation as a solution to the immigration crisis and specifically targeted gang members for deportation.

Those well-organized gangs were dumped into Northern Triangle, taking advantage of the low-income and unstable countries. As they rose in power, so did the violence.

The Northern Triangle is home to some of the highest homicide rates in the world. 

Young girls are forced into the sex trade, and young boys are forced to join the gangs or risk being killed.

And as history shows us, deporting them back to their dangerous countries doesn't deter them from trying to find a better life.