ECONOMICS

Masters of Commerce

(Accounts)

2012-2013

Semester II

Submitted

In Partial Fulfilment of the requirements

For the Award of Degree of Masters of

Commerce - Accounts

By

Malvika Pande

University of Mumbai

SIES college of science arts and commerce, Nerul

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CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Malvika Pande of M.Com

Accounts Semester II (2012-13) has successfully

completed the project on MIGRATION FROM

MEXICO TO USA under the guidance of Ms. Koel

Roy Choudhary .

Course Coordinator Principal

Project guide/Internal Examiner

External Examiner

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DECLARATION

I Malvika Pande a student of M.com Accounts

Semester II (2012-13) hereby declare that I have

completed the project on Migration from Mexico to

USA.

The information submitted is true and original to the

best of my knowledge.

Signature

Malvika Pande

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ACKNOWLEGEMENT

I would sincerely like to give my heartfelt acknowledgement

and thanks to my parents. Any amount of thanks given to them will

never be sufficient.

I would like to thank the University of Mumbai, for

introducing MCOM (Banking), thereby giving the student a

platform to abreast with changing business scenario, with the help

of theory as a base and practical as a solution.

I would sincerely like to thank our Principal Mrs. Rita Basu. I

would also like to thank my project guide Ms. Koel Roy

Choudhary for his/her valuable support and guidance whenever

needed.

I also feel heartiest sense of obligation my library staff members

& seniors who helped in collection of Data and materials and also

in this processing as well as in drafting manuscript.

Last, but not the least, I would like to thank my friends &

colleagues for always being there.

Malvika Pande

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SR.NO INDEX

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WHAT IS HUMAN MIGRATION AND TYPES

MIGRATION FROM MEXICO TO USA

FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR MIGRATION

EFFECTS OF IMMIGRATION

WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS ON USA

MEXICAN MIGRATION TO USA - OVERVIEW

IMPACT OF MIGRATION ON US ECONOMY

CURRENT POPULATION TREND

REASONS WHY IMMIGRANTION ACROSS THE US- MEXICO

BORDER HAS DROPPED

IMMIGRATION POLICY OF USA

LATEST NEWS ON MEXICO - USA MIGRATION

SUMMARY

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WHAT IS HUMAN MIGRATION

Migration (human) is the movement of people from one place in the world to another

for the purpose of taking up permanent or semi permanent residence, usually across a

political boundary. An example of "semi permanent residence" would be the seasonal

movements of migrant farm laborers. People can either choose to move ("voluntary

migration") or be forced to move ("involuntary migration").

Migrations have occurred throughout human history, beginning with the movements

of the first human groups from their origins in East Africa to their current location in

the world. Migration occurs at a variety of scales:

intercontinental (between continents),

intracontinental (between countries on a given continent),

interregional (within countries).

One of the most significant migration patterns has been rural to urban migration - the

movement of people from the countryside to cities in search of opportunities.

Types of Migration

Internal Migration: Moving to a new home within a state, country, or continent.

External Migration: Moving to a new home in a different state, country, or continent.

Immigration: Moving into a new country (e.g., the Pilgrims immigrated to America).

Population Transfer: When a government forces a large group of people out of a

region, usually based on ethnicity or religion. This is also known as an involuntary or

forced migration.

Impelled Migration (also called "reluctant" or "imposed" migration): Individuals are

not forced out of their country, but leave because of unfavorable situations such as

warfare, political problems, or religious persecution.

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Chain Migration: A series of migrations within a family or defined group of people.

A chain migration often begins with one family member who sends money to bring

other family members to the new location. Chain migration results in migration fields

—the clustering of people from a specific region into certain neighborhoods or small

towns

Return Migration: The voluntary movements of immigrants back to their place of

origin. This is also known as circular migration.

Seasonal Migration: The process of moving for a period of time in response to labor

or climate conditions (e.g., farm workers following crop harvests or working in cities

off-season; "snowbirds" moving to the southern and southwestern United States

during winter).

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MIGRATION FROM MEXICO TO USA

History and geography have given Mexico a unique status in the U.S. immigration system,

and have made the Mexico-U.S. migration flow the largest in the world. Mexicans are the

largest group of U.S. migrants across most types of immigration statuses—a fact that may

have important implications for how Congress makes U.S. immigration policy. This report

reviews the history of immigration policy and migration flows between the countries and the

demographics of Mexicans within the United States. It also analyzes contemporary issues in

U.S. immigration policy and the impact Mexico may have on U.S. immigration outcomes.

Immigration to the United States is a complex demographic phenomenon that has been a

major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of the history of the

United States. The economic, social, and political aspects of immigration have caused

controversy regarding ethnicity, economic benefits, jobs for non-immigrants, settlement

patterns, impact on upward social mobility, crime, and voting behavior.

Immigration policy has been an ongoing subject of congressional attention in recent years

and a topic of concern for the U.S. public at large. Mexicans are by far the largest group of

U.S. migrants, and about 1 in 10 Mexicans now live (legally or illegally) in the United States.

Indeed, Mexico-U.S. migration represents the largest binational migration flow in the world.

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What does Mexico’s prominence in the U.S. migration system mean for U.S. immigration

policy? On one hand, it means that U.S. immigration policy, to varying degrees, primarily

affects Mexicans and Mexico. Today’s Mexico-U.S. migration flows and the Mexico-born

population in the United States are the product of previous immigration policy decisions, as

well as of the long and complex history of the U.S. and Mexican economies, labor markets,

and demographics. On the other hand, it also means that Mexico remains at the center of

today’s immigration debate, even if sometimes only implicitly. Recognizing Mexico’s status

within the U.S. migration system focuses attention on how the U.S. immigration debate

affects Mexico, and on how Mexico may affect certain migration outcomes.

WHAT IS THE SITUATION?

There is a 2000km border between USA and Mexico.

1 million + Mexicans migrate to the USA every year.

Illegal migration is a huge problem for USA and Mexico

US Border Patrol guard the border and try to prevent illegal immigrants

FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR MIGRATION FROM MEXICO TO USA

Mexican emigration into the United States remains a contentious topic, a source of fiction,

and a lasting negative influence on Mexico's economic development. The main reason why

Mexican's emigrate to the United States is to improve their economic situation . Other

motives exist such as kinship relations in the destination city, but if the disparities in income

opportunities were lower between the two countries, this would override kinship relations.

This leads to the inevitable conclusion that reducing the level of Mexican immigration into

the United States requires higher economic growth in Mexico. It would not be necessary to

reach full income equality for emigration to diminish. Many more Mexicans are likely to stay

home if convinced that income improvement will continue.

Push Factors

Poor medical facilities - 1800 per doctor

Low paid jobs - (GNP = $3750)

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Adult literacy rates 55% - poor education prospects

Life expectancy 72 yrs

40% Unemployed

Pull Factors

Excellent medical facilities - 400 per doctor

Well paid jobs - GNP = $24,750)

Adult literacy rates 99% - good education prospects

Life expectancy 76 yrs

Many jobs available for low paid workers such as Mexicans

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EFFECTS OF IMMIGRATION

Demographics

The Census Bureau estimates the US population will grow from 281 million in 2000 to 397

million in 2050 with immigration, but only to 328 million with no immigration. A new report

from the Pew Research Center projects that by 2050, non-Hispanic whites will account for

47% of the population, down from the 2005 figure of 67%. Non-Hispanic whites made up

85% of the population in 1960. It also foresees the Hispanic population rising from 14% in

2005 to 29% by 2050. The Asian population is expected to more than triple by 2050. Overall,

the population of the United States is due to rise from 296 million in 2005 to 438 million in

2050, with 82% of the increase from immigrants.

Economic

The NRC report found that although immigrants, especially those from Latin America,

caused a net loss in terms of taxes paid versus social services received, immigration can

provide an overall gain to the domestic economy due to an increase in pay for higher-skilled

workers, lower prices for goods and services produced by immigrant labor, and more

efficiency and lower wages for some owners of capital. The report also notes that although

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immigrant workers compete with domestic workers for low-skilled jobs, some immigrants

specialize in activities that otherwise would not exist in an area, and thus can be beneficial for

all domestic residents.

Political

Immigrants differ on their political views; however, the Democratic Party is considered to be

in a far stronger position among immigrants overall. Research shows that religious affiliation

can also significantly impact both their social values and voting patterns of immigrants, as

well as the broader American population.

The key interests groups that lobby on immigration are religious, ethnic and business groups,

together with some liberals and some conservative public policy organizations. Both the pro-

and anti- groups affect policy.

In a 2012 news story, Reuters reported, "Strong support from Hispanics, the fastest-growing

demographic in the United States, helped tip President Barack Obama's fortunes as he

secured a second term in the White House, according to Election Day polling."

Lately, there is talk among several Republican leaders, such as governors Bobby Jindal and

Susana Martinez, of taking a new, friendlier approach to immigration. Former US Secretary

of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez is promoting the creation of Republicans for Immigration

Reform. Studies have suggested that some special interest group lobby for less immigration

for their own group and more immigration for other groups since they see effects of

immigration, such as increased labor competition, as detrimental when affecting their own

group but beneficial when affecting other groups.

Health

The issue of the health of immigrants and the associated cost to the public has been largely

discussed. The non-emergency use of emergency rooms ostensibly indicates an incapacity to

pay, yet some studies allege disproportionately lower access to unpaid health care by

immigrants. For this and other reasons, there have been various disputes about how much

immigration is costing the United States public health system. Immigration from areas of

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high incidences of disease is thought to have fueled the resurgence of tuberculosis (TB),

chagas, and hepatitis in areas of low incidence. According to Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC), TB cases among foreign-born individuals remain disproportionately high,

at nearly nine times the rate of U.S.-born persons. To reduce the risk of diseases in low-

incidence areas, the main countermeasure has been the screening of immigrants on arrival.

Environment

Some commentators have suggested that increased immigration has a negative effect on the

environment, especially as the level of economic development of the United States (and by

extension, its energy, water and other needs that underpin its prosperity) means that the

impact of a larger population is greater than what would be experienced in other countries.

Perceived heavy immigration, especially in the southwest, has led to some fears about

population pressures on the water supply in some areas. California continues to grow by more

than a half-million a year and is expected to reach 48 million in 2030. According to the

California Department of Water Resources, if more supplies are not found by 2020, residents

will face a water shortfall nearly as great as the amount consumed today. Los Angeles is a

coastal desert able to support at most one million people on its own water. California is

considering using desalination to solve this problem.

Education

Forty percent of Ph.D. scientists working in the United States were born abroad. A study on

public schools in California found that white enrollment declined in response to increases in

the number of Spanish-speaking Limited English Proficient and Hispanic students. This white

flight was greater for schools with relatively larger proportions of Spanish-speaking Limited

English Proficient.

WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS ON THE USA

Illegal migration costs the USA millions of dollars for border patrols and prisons

Mexicans are seen as a drain on the USA economy

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Migrant workers keep wages low which affects Americans

They cause problems in cities due cultural and racial issues

Mexican migrants benefit the US economy by working for low wages

Mexican culture has enriched the US border states with food, language and music

The incidents of TB has been increasing greatly due to the increased migration.

An analysis of census data found that nearly eight million immigrants entered the

United States from 2000 to 2005, more than in any other five-year period in the

nation's history; 3.7 million of them entered illegally. Since 1986 Congress has passed

seven amnesties for illegal immigrants. In 1986 president Ronald Reagan signed

immigration reform that gave amnesty to 3 million illegal immigrants in the country.

Hispanic immigrants were among the first victims of the late-2000s recession, but

since the recession's end in June 2009, immigrants posted a net gain of 656,000 jobs.

Over 1 million immigrants were granted legal residence in 2011.

An analysis of census data found that nearly eight million immigrants entered the United

States from 2000 to 2005, more than in any other five-year period in the nation's history; 3.7

million of them entered illegally. Since 1986 Congress has passed seven amnesties for illegal

immigrants. In 1986 president Ronald Reagan signed immigration reform that gave amnesty

to 3 million illegal immigrants in the country. Hispanic immigrants were among the first

victims of the late-2000s recession, but since the recession's end in June 2009, immigrants

posted a net gain of 656,000 jobs. Over 1 million immigrants were granted legal residence in

2011.

Year Year Year

1950 249,187 1987 601,516 2008 1,107,126

1967 361,972 1997 797,847 2009 1,130,818

1977 462,315 2007 1,052,415 2010 1,042,625

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OVERVIEW OF MEXICAN MIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES

Migration to the United States consists of three main groups of migrants: LPRs, temporary

non-immigrant, and unauthorized aliens. Within each of these categories, Mexicans represent

the largest group of foreign born in the United States.

Permanent Legal Admissions

Lawful permanent residents are foreign nationals who live lawfully and permanently in the

United States, and they are typically eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship five years after

receiving their visas. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) specifies a complex set of

numerical limits and preference categories for permanent immigration reflecting the

principles of family reunification, the admission of immigrants with needed skills, the

protection of refugees, and diversity by country of origin. The INA prioritizes family-based

immigration, making more than three times as many visas available in the family-based

preference categories as in the employment-based categories. The INA does not set aside

LPR visas for Mexico, but Mexicans are especially likely to take advantage of the law’s

family-friendly rules, with 122,686 Mexicans becoming LPRs as immediate relatives of U.S.

citizens or family-sponsored immigrants in FY2010. Overall, 88% of Mexicans were

admitted in one of the family categories in 2010, compared to 67% of all LPRs. The figures

differ even more for the decade 2000-2009: 93% of Mexicans were family-based compared

to 65% of all LPRs.

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Mexican and All Other LPRs by Broad Category in FY2010

Source: CRS presentation of Department of Homeland Security Office of Immigration Statistics data.

Temporary Legal Admissions

Foreign nationals who are admitted to the United States for a temporary period of time and an

expressed reason are known as nonimmigrants. There are 24 major nonimmigrant visa

categories, commonly referred to by the letter and numeral that denotes their subsection in

Section 101(a)(15) of the INA, including for example B-2 tourists, E-2 treaty investors, and

F-1 foreign students. The nonimmigrant visa categories authorizing employment include the

H-2A visa for agricultural guest workers, the H-2B visa for other lower-skilled seasonal or

intermittent workers, the H-1B visa for temporary professional workers, the J-1 cultural

exchange visa, the E visa for treaty traders and treaty investors, and the L visa for intra-

company transferees. Temporary professional workers from Canada and Mexico also may

enter under terms set by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on NAFTA

professional (TN) visas.

Mexico was the top sending county of temporary nonimmigrants in FY2010, making up

27.8% of all such entries. Aside from tourists and business visitors, the large majority of

Mexican non-immigrants enter as H-2A or H-2B low-skilled workers . Mexico was one of 58

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Countries eligible to send H-2A and H-2B nonimmigrants (as of January 2012), and

Mexicans accounted for 82.9% of such low-skilled nonimmigrant visas issued in 2010.

Mexicans represent a small proportion of other legal nonimmigrants

Non-immigrant Visas Issued by Nationality and Visa Category, FY2010

Source: CRS presentation of data from U.S. Department of State, Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) Statistics,

FY1997-2010 NIV Detail Table.

Notes: Low-skilled workers include H-2A and H-2B visas; high-skilled workers include E, H-1B, L,

and TN visas;

Students and cultural exchange include F and M visas; all others include other nonimmigrant visas

other than B-1(Temporary visitors for business) and B-2 (temporary visitors for pleasure or medical

treatment) visas.

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Unauthorized Migration

About 11.4 million unauthorized aliens from various countries were estimated to be in the

United States in 2010, down from about 12.1 million in 2007.Between one-half and two-

thirds o funauthorized aliens enter without inspection (by crossing the border between ports

of entry or being smuggled through a port) or enter illegally by using fraudulent documents.

The remainder enter legally as nonimmigrants but then remain past the visa expiration date

(becoming visa overstayers) or otherwise violate the terms of their nonimmigrant visa.8 of

the 11.4 million, an estimated 6.7 million unauthorized Mexicans resided in the United States

in 2010; meaning about 59% of the unauthorized population was from Mexico.

Immigration Policy

In recent years, the George W. Bush and Barack Obama Administrations, along with some

Members of Congress have favored “comprehensive immigration reform” (CIR) packages

that would include reforms to the LPR and nonimmigrant visa systems to expand legal

inflows, legalization for certain unauthorized aliens, and new migration control measures.

Congress has considered a number of CIR bills and related proposals during this period, but

none have been signed into law. Thus, legislative and administrative action during the last

decade mainly has focused on new enforcement measures at the U.S.-Mexican border and

within the United States; and a record number of unauthorized aliens have been removed in

each year since 2003, with Mexicans accounting for almost three-quarters of all removals.

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History of Mexico-U.S. Migration

Mexican Migration to the United States, 1900-2009

Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States; Yearbook of Immigration Statistics.

Notes: Population data are for the Mexico-born population in the United States at the start of each

decade and as of 2009 and include naturalized citizens, LPRs, non-immigrants, and unauthorized

aliens; LPR data are total LPR inflows for the decade beginning in 1900, 1910, etc.

Geographic Dispersion

Mexican migration has also attracted attention in recent years because of the geographic

dispersion of Mexican migrants to new U.S. regions and destinations, increasing the visibility

of Mexican migration beyond traditional south-western and selected urban settlement areas.

States in the Southwest have the highest proportion of Mexican born, but states in the South

and Midwest have experienced the greatest proportional increases in their Mexico-born

populations over the past two decades. Several states and localities with high levels of

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Mexican migration and/or rapid growth of Mexican migration have passed immigration-

related legislation in recent years.

Mexico-Born Proportions of U.S. State Populations, 2010, and States with

the Largest Proportional Increases in Mexico-Born Populations Since 1990

Source: CRS computations from the 1990 and 2000 Decennial Censuses, and the 2010 ACS PUMS

data.

IMPACTS OF MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS ON U.S. ECONOMY

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The flow of Mexican immigrants to the U.S. has been impacted by the economic crisis and

the anti-immigrant laws that began with the passing of a law in Arizona.

But Mexican immigrants are vital to the U.S. economy, contributing about 4 percent to GDP.

Mexican immigrants contribute about 4 percent to total U.S. GDP and they represent

nearly 60 percent of unauthorized workers

• Mexican immigrants contribute 4 percent of total U.S. GDP. Including second and third

generation Mexicans, their contribution rises to 8 percent.

• Mexican immigrants represent nearly 60 percent of unauthorized workers in the U.S..

• The average productivity of a Mexican immigrant is on average 21.5 percent lower than the

national average., and 16.8 percent lower than the average for all immigrants in the

U.S..

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Mexican immigrants have historically contributed the most to economies in California,

Nevada, Arizona and Texas

"Arizona is probably the state that has posted the greatest drop in the contribution of Mexican

immigrants to GDP, from 11.8% on average before the crisis to 8.6% after.

In Nevada and Texas, before the effects of the crisis the Mexican immigrants’ contribution to

state GDP was, on average, 10.0%, and following the crisis it fell on average to 8.5% and

8.7% respectively."

Meanwhile Idaho, Washington and New Jersey were the states with the largest increase in

contribution to GDP when comparing looking at pre and post-crisis levels.

In the U.S., Mexican immigrants predominantly work in construction, tourism, and

manufacturing

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But in GDP terms, they contribute the most to the agricultural sector, construction, and

accommodation and food services

In terms of contribution to U.S. GDP by sector about 5 percent of Mexican immigrants are

engaged in agriculture forestry and fishing but they contribute to about 18 percent of U.S.

GDP in this sector. 

Mexican immigrants contribute 13.4 percent to the construction sector's output and about

11.7 percent to the accommodation and food services sector's output.

They have a much lower participation rate in government, information services, finance,

insurance and real estate.

The economic crisis and the “Arizona Effect” have lowered the flow of Mexican

immigrants to the U.S.

Mexican immigration to the U.S. hasn't grown since 2008 because of two main reasons.

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Between 2007 - 2009 it was because of the economic crisis, while in 2010 - 2011 it was

because of the "Arizona Effect" i.e. the anti-immigration laws that began with the passing of

the Arizona Law which was later extended to Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and

Tennessee.

Nearly 500,000 Mexican immigrants lost their jobs during the crisis, but most immigrant

groups saw a positive trend in employment between Q4 2009 and June-July of 2010. In the

year that followed the passing of the Arizona Law, nearly 350,000 Mexican immigrants lost

their jobs.

Mexican and central American immigrants were affected the most by the economic

crisis

The anti-immigrant laws largely impacted Mexicans because they represent a larger number

of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S.

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Interestingly while the number of border patrol agents has surged the number of immigrants

apprehended at the border has declined.

Between 1995 - 2011 economic growth saw more Mexicans apprehended and vice-versa

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While the flow of Mexican immigrants hasn't increased after the economic crisis and the

passing of the Arizona Law, neither has the return of Mexican immigrants to their country of

origin. 

The majority of immigrants that do return home are males and 80 percent of them tend to be

between the age of 18 - 49.

Moreover most immigrants who return to their home country tend to have a low education

level – elementary school or less but in recent years the proportion of returning immigrants

with higher education levels has increased.

Remittances to Mexico are expected to reach their highest since 2007 and if this trend

continues they could reach a new record in 2013.

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MEXICO’S ROLE IN MIGRATION CONTROL

Given the large number of unauthorized Mexicans in the United States, some people believe

that Mexico bears some responsibility for illegal flows and should play a greater role in

migration Control. Mexico currently supports U.S. migration enforcement in two main ways.

First, Mexico’s National Migration Institute (INM) within the Secretariat of the Interior

combats transmigration by unauthorized migrants crossing Mexico bound for the United

States. The estimated number of illegal Central American trans-migrants increased from

about 236,000 in 2000 to a high point of about 433,000 in 2005 before falling back to about

140,000 in 2010. INM Detained and deported slightly more than half of these migrants

between 2001 and 2011.

Unauthorized Migration through Mexico, 2000-2010

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Source: Inflows from Gobierno Federal de México, Secretaria de Gobernación (SEGOB), Apuntes

Sobre Migración, July 1, 2011; deportations from SEGOB, Boletín Mensual de Estadísticas

Migratorias, 2005-2010

Second, Mexican and U.S. law enforcement agencies collaborate to combat alien smuggling

and human trafficking, along with other transnational criminal activities. CBP’s International

Liaison Unit (ILU) maintains regular contact with Mexican law enforcement agencies to

share information about border area crime and to coordinate responses when agents confront

border area violence. U.S. Border Patrol sector chiefs and Mexican Interior Ministry officers

co-chair monthly meetings among border-area law enforcement agencies. U.S. and Mexican

law enforcement agencies cooperate through the ICE Border Enforcement Security Task

Force (BEST) program, initiated in 2006 to combat drug and human smuggling. ICE’s

Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit in Mexico City works with Mexican Federal Police

and Customs Officials to combat high-risk human smuggling.

U.S. and Mexican law enforcement agencies also collaborate to prosecute smugglers through

the Operation against Smuggling Initiative on Safety and Security (OASISS), a bilateral

program that enables Mexican alien smugglers apprehended in the United States to be

prosecuted in Mexico. From the time of its inception in 2005 through the end of FY2011,

OASISS referred 2,617 cases to Mexican authorities.

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CURRENT SITUATION

The largest wave of immigration in history from a single country to the United States has

come to a standstill. After four decades that brought 12 million current immigrants, most of

whom came illegally, the net migration flow from Mexico to the United States has stopped

and may have reversed, according to a new analysis of government data from both countries

by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center.

The standstill appears to be the result of many factors, including the weakened U.S. job and

housing construction markets, heightened border enforcement, a rise in deportations, the

growing dangers associated with illegal border crossings, the long-term decline in Mexico’s

birth rates and broader economic conditions in Mexico.

It is possible that the Mexican immigration wave will resume as the U.S. economy recovers.

Even if it doesn’t, it has already secured a place in the record books. The U.S. today has more

immigrants from Mexico alone-12.0 million-than any other country in the world has from all

countries of the world. Some 30% of all current U.S. immigrants were born in Mexico. The

next largest sending country—China (including Hong Kong and Taiwan)—accounts for just

5% of the nation’s current stock of about 40 million immigrants.

The sharp downward trend in net migration from Mexico began about five years ago and has

led to the first significant decrease in at least two decades in the unauthorized Mexican

population. As of 2011, some 6.1 million unauthorized Mexican immigrants were living in

the U.S., down from a peak of nearly 7 million in 2007, according to Pew Hispanic Center

estimates based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Over the same period, the population

of authorized immigrants from Mexico rose modestly, from 5.6 million in 2007 to 5.8 million

in 2011.

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The net standstill in Mexican-U.S. migration flows is the result of two opposite trend lines

that have converged in recent years. During the five-year period from 2005 to 2010, a total of

1.4 million Mexicans immigrated to the United States, down by more than half from the 3

million who had done so in the five-year period of 1995 to 2000. Meantime, the number of

Mexicans and their children who moved from the U.S. to Mexico between 2005 and 2010

rose to 1.4 million, roughly double the number who had done so in the five-year period a

decade before. While it is not possible to say so with certainty, the trend lines within this

latest five-year period suggest that return flow to Mexico probably exceeded the inflow from

Mexico during the past year or two.

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Of the 1.4 million people who migrated from the U.S. to Mexico since 2005, including about

300,000 U.S.-born children, most did so voluntarily, but a significant minority were deported

and remained in Mexico. Firm data on this phenomenon are sketchy, but Pew Hispanic

Center estimates based on government data from both countries suggest that 5% to 35% of

these returnees may not have moved voluntarily.

In contrast to the decrease of the Mexican born, the U.S. immigrant population from all

countries has continued to grow and numbered 39.6 million in 2011, according to the Census

Bureau’s Current Population Survey.

In addition, the number of Mexican-Americans in the U.S. - both immigrants and U.S.-born

residents of Mexican ancestry—is continuing to rise. The Mexican-American population

numbered 33 million in 2010. As reported previously between 2000 and 2010 births

surpassed immigration as the main reason for growth of the Mexican-American population.

The population of Mexican-born residents of the U.S. is larger than the population of most

countries or states. Among Mexican-born people worldwide, one-in-ten lives in the United

States.

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Recent Population Trends

The Mexican-born population in the U.S. decreased to 12.0 million in 2011 from its peak of

12.6 million in 2007, and the change entirely reflects reduced unauthorized immigration,

according to a Pew Hispanic analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. There were 6.1 million

unauthorized Mexican immigrants in the U.S. in 2011, according to Pew Hispanic estimates

based on Current Population Survey data, compared with a peak of 7 million in 2007.

By comparison, legal Mexican immigrants (including those with temporary status) numbered

5.8 million in 2011, which is a small increase from 5.6 million in 2007. The overall foreign-

born population has continued a relatively steady growth, to 39.6 million in 2011, according

to Current Population Survey data.10

The decline in the Mexican-born population is a marked change of pattern for the massive

wave of migration from Mexico that began in the late 1960s. It may become the first

sustained loss since the 1930s, when the Mexican-born population shrank during the Great

Depression. The contemporary decrease is due to the combination of reduced inflows and

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increased outflows; it cannot be explained by the relatively small number of deaths in the

Mexican immigrant population.

REASONS WHY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTION ACROSS THE US- MEXICO

BORDER HAS DROPPED

From 1970 to 2010, more than 10 million Mexicans migrated to the US. Now, after decades

of rising numbers immigrating to the US, a new demographic trend is playing out: illegal

immigration is waning.

The Department of Homeland Security said in a 2010 report that the number of immigrants

residing unauthorized in the US, 62 percent of whom come from Mexico, has declined from a

peak of 11.8 million in January of 2007 to 10.8 million in January of 2010. US Customs and

Border Protection also released data showing that the number of those arrested trying to cross

the border illegally is is down sharply – by 58 percent since fiscal year 2006.

The Pew Hispanic Center, using Mexican government data, estimates that the number of

Mexicans annually leaving Mexico for the US declined by 60 percent from 2006 to 2010.

Many dispute the reason why. Here are four factors that play a role.

Tougher US Measures

In the same period that arrests have gone down along the US-Mexico border, the number of

agents placed there has doubled. The Obama administration is responsible for a historic

number of deportations. Recent figures from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement

agency (ICE) show that nearly 400,000 individuals were deported between October 2010 and

September 2011.

Some believe that tough state laws like those in Arizona and Alabama have also had a

deterrent effect. Critics argue that tougher enforcement does not have a direct link to reduced

migration flows. Still, a tougher US stance has had an indirect one: It has pushed up smuggler

fees, making it too difficult for some migrants to pay.

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A Bad American Economy

Aside from cases of family reunification, migrants leave their communities for one reason:

jobs. If there are no jobs, there is no reason to uproot. The Pew Hispanic Center says that

declining job opportunities state side have played a major part in the US no longer seeming as

attractive an option as it once was to potential migrants. The recession had a significant

impact on industries such as construction and manufacturing, which disproportionately

employ Latino immigrants. Many have stayed in the US to ride out turbulent economic times,

but the remittances that they send home ebb and flow with their ability to earn.

A better Mexican economy

Most Mexicans say they would actually prefer to stay home. If they could find viable jobs in

Mexico, they would gladly work in them.

Now, there is some indication that a brighter economic reality for Mexico has meant less of

an incentive to leave. The New York Times recently quoted experts on both sides of the

border showing that a rise in wages in Mexico, and greater access to education, has meant

that generations of Mexicans no longer see a stint in the US as a “rite of passage.”

Others dismiss this as a reason. The prospect of wages far higher than what they earn at home

has always been a mighty pull to the US. About one fifth of Mexicans still live in extreme

poverty, and 50 percent of the population is considered poor. With a population of 113

million, that is a lot of potential economic migrants.

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Crime In Mexico

Mexico’s migration commissioner, Salvador Beltran del Rio, recently said that there has been

a reduction in the number of Central Americans being apprehended in Mexico. The number

has fallen from 433,000 in 2005 to 140,000 in 2010. Many of them have said that they are no

longer willing to risk their lives, as drug trafficking organization have become increasingly

involved in human smuggling.

In August 2010, 72 migrants, mostly from Central America, were found murdered in a mass

grave in the northern state of Tamaulipas, reportedly for refusing to work for a drug gang.

Many migrants, both from Mexico and beyond, have gone missing in their northward treks

toward the US, a powerful incentive to stay home.

IMMIGRATION POLICY USA

mmigration to the USA has occurred throughout all ages. People have moved to the US in

search of good fortune. However, although immigration to the US was much easier before

1882, with time and increasing population, the US authority has put in place

newer immigration policies and mechanisms.

After having made various efforts from time to time to regulate immigration, people in the

US in present times are in favor of restricting immigration to the US to the maximum

possible extent (more so after the 9/11 trauma). A series of immigration laws have also been

passed in the late 1990s and mid 2000s to cater to such public concern about immigration to

the US.

Debate on Immigration:  

Immigration is one of the most discussed and debated public policy issues in the US.

The debate over immigration centers around two major issues, viz., the economy and the

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national identity of the United States. Some think that immigrants are a burden on the U.S.

economy, while others think that they benefit it. In addition, critics of immigration are

concerned that the country is splintering along racial and cultural lines because immigrants

are not being assimilated properly into U.S. society. Questions are regularly raised on:

whether the government place further restrictions on legal immigration

whether the government deny social services to illegal immigrants

whether English shall be the official language of the United States

Policy to Control Immigration:

There have been various attempts by the US officials to implement advantageous

immigration policies and a brief overview of the policies can be undertaken here:

1880 to 1929: 

Early immigration laws aimed to preserve the largely European racial, religious, and ethnic

composition of the United States and expelled nonwhites (like the Chinese Exclusion Act of

1882). Soon the Americans sought to stem immigration flow from the US. For instance,

the Emergency Quota Act of 1921 encouraged immigration from northern and western

European countries and discouraged immigrants from eastern and southern Europe. In 1929,

Congress passed the National Origins Act , which set an annual quota of 150,000

immigrants (only 30 % of which could come from southern and eastern Europe). The Great

Depression of the 1929-30 had naturally reduced in immigration and even encouraged

emigration from the US.

Post World War II (1939-45)

The US Congress had passed the Displaced Persons Act of 1948 allowing some of the

people who became homeless after the War to come to the United States. In 1952

the McCarran-Walter Act enabled people of all races to immigrate into the United States.

(though it had made ideology a criterion for admission). The infamous McCarthyism

syndrome of the 1940s and 50s also put a serious impact on the issue of immigration to the

USA. TheImmigration Act of 1965 implemented a major reform of all previous immigration

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laws. It abolished quotas that discriminated against nationalities, substituting an overall limit

of 170,000 immigrants from the Eastern Hemisphere and 120,000 immigrants from the

Western Hemisphere.

Recent Laws on Immigration:

During the late 20 th Century, US government had set limits on the number of immigrants,

such as refugee to reside in the country (The Refugee Act of 1980 is mentionable in this

regard). In 1986, the Immigration Reform and Control Act, passed to prevent illegal

immigrants from Latin America by imposing sanctions against employers who hire illegal

aliens. The Immigration Act of 1990 increased entry of immigrants into the United States by

nearly 40 percent. In 1996, the US Congress passed three bills, including the 1996

Immigration Act which not only affected immigration control but also regulated immigrants'

rights in the United States. The 2005 Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal

Immigration Control Act aimed to prevent the illegal border crossing by Mexican

immigrants while the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act (CIRA) of 2006 deals with

immigration reform . It increases the number of guest workers in the US beside those already

present through a new " blue card " visa program .

As more and more multi-racial and multi-cultural elements enter the United States and the

ethnic composition of the country changes, the issue of immigration turns more intense.

Some Americans favor tighter immigration restrictions and argue that immigrants take jobs

away from U.S. citizens, drain social services, and endanger the national security. Others

point to America's historic commitment to immigration and believe that immigrants make

their country economically and culturally viable. In light of this debating position in

American society, arriving at a permanent and one-sided immigration policy by the US

authority is far from feasible and thus the fine-tuning of the rules and reform on

immigration will continue.

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LATEST NEWS ON MEXICO - US MIGRATION

Obama to Permit Young Migrants to Remain in U.S.

Hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants who came to the United States as children will

be allowed to remain in the country without fear of deportation and able to work, under an

executive action the Obama administration announced.

Administration officials said the president used existing legal authority to make the broad

policy change, which could temporarily benefit more than 800,000 young people. He did not

consult with Congress, where Republicans have generally opposed measures to benefit illegal

immigrants.

The policy, while not granting any permanent legal status, clears the way for young illegal

immigrants to come out of the shadows, work legally and obtain driver’s licenses and many

other documents they have lacked.

“They are Americans in their heart, in their minds, in every single way but one: on

paper,” President Obama said in announcing the new policy in the White House Rose Garden

on Friday. He said he was taking “a temporary stopgap measure” that would “lift the shadow

of deportation from these young people” and make immigration policy “more fair, more

efficient and more just.”

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Under the change, the Department of Homeland Security will no longer initiate the

deportation of illegal immigrants who came to the United States before age 16, have lived

here for at least five years, and are in school, are high school graduates or are military

veterans in good standing. The immigrants must also be not more than 30 and have clean

criminal records.

Young people, who have been highly visible and vocal activists despite their undocumented

status, have been calling on Mr. Obama for more than a year to stop deporting them and

allow them to work. Many of them were elated and relieved on Friday.

“People are just breaking down and crying for joy when they find out what the president did,”

said Lorella Praeli, a leader of the United We Dream Network, the largest coalition of illegal

immigrant students.

Republicans reacted angrily, saying the president had overstepped his legal bounds to do an

end run around Congress. Some Republicans accused Mr. Obama of violating the law. “The

president’s action is an affront to the process of representative government by circumventing

Congress and with a directive he may not have the authority to execute,” said Senator Charles

E. Grassley of Iowa, the senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee. “It seems the

president has put election-year politics above responsible policies.”

The action was the first measure by Mr. Obama that offers immediate relief to large numbers

of illegal immigrants, in contrast to smaller steps the administration had taken that were

intended to ease the impact of deportations but in practice had little effect. During the three

years of his term, Mr. Obama has deported more than 1.1 million immigrants, the most by

any president since the 1950s.

“Now let’s be clear: this is not an amnesty,” Mr. Obama said in the Rose Garden, anticipating

the Republican response. “This is not a path to citizenship. It is not a permanent fix.”

The group of illegal immigrants that will benefit from the policy is similar to those who

would have been eligible to become legal permanent residents under the Dream Act,

legislation that Mr. Obama has long supported. An effort by the White House to pass the bill

in late 2010 was blocked by Republicans in the Senate. Mr. Obama called on Congress again

Friday to pass that legislation.

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The president was facing growing pressure from Latino leaders and Democrats who warned

that because of his harsh immigration enforcement, his support was lagging among Latinos

who could be crucial voters in his race for re-election.

Illegal immigrants said the new policy would make a major difference in their lives. As

students, when they graduate from high school, they often cannot go on to college because

they are not eligible for financial aid and must pay higher tuition rates. If they do succeed in

graduating from college, regardless of their academic accomplishments, they cannot be

legally employed in the United States or obtain driver’s or professional licenses.

For immigrants who come forward and qualify, Homeland Security authorities will use

prosecutorial discretion to grant deferred action, a reprieve that will be valid for two years

and will have to be renewed. Under current law, that status allows immigrants to apply for

work permits.

CONCLUDING COMMENTS

History and geography guarantee that Mexico and the United States have a unique migration

Relationship - a point driven home by Mexico’s ranking as the number one source of U.S.

immigrants, both legal and unauthorized. The size of the Mexican population in the United

States, its demographic characteristics, and its increasing dispersion to new U.S. destinations

all place Mexico at the center of the U.S. immigration debate; and the proportion of Mexicans

who migrate to the United States also places migration issues at the center of the bilateral

relationship.

As described above, these flows are a function of economic push and pull factors and of

previous policy decisions. This history directs attention to policy choices being made today.

Many of the core issues in the U.S. immigration debate—including efforts to strengthen

migration control and border security, possible reforms to the lawful permanent resident and

nonimmigrant visa systems, and proposals to legalize certain unauthorized migrants have

important implications for both countries. The United States and Mexico also may share

common interests around some of these issues, such as combating smuggling and other

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transnational crime, encouraging circularity among temporary workers, promoting the orderly

repatriation of unauthorized Mexicans and criminal aliens, and generally reducing

unauthorized migration.

Thus, as in the past, some people in the United States may see reasons to treat Mexico as a

“special case” on certain immigration questions. From this perspective, previous Mexico-U.S.

migration policies not only help explain the scope of contemporary flows, but also set a

precedent for those who may favour taking a bilateral approach. These factors also get at the

practical argument for Mexico-specific policies: the sheer size of the bilateral flow and

Mexico’s status as America’s continental neighbour mean that bilateral policies may offer

promising opportunities for more effective migration enforcement and more efficient

management of flows.

On the other hand, a truly collaborative approach to bilateral migration issues along these

lines would require a high level of mutual trust. Some people may question whether Mexico

would be a reliable partner in a bilateral visa program, border enforcement, or port security—

nor is it clear that Mexico would be willing to take on such a role in all of these cases. At a

minimum, any major changes in the U.S.-Mexican migration relationship likely would

require that the countries first achieve greater success in combating illicit drugs and reducing

the violence associated with the drug trade. In the long run, the future of the U.S.-Mexican

migration relationship depends in great part on economic and demographic trends in both

countries, and their impact on regional migration flows. What will be the shape of the U.S.

economic recovery, and will U.S. employers continue to demand high levels of low-skilled

migration? Will emigration from Mexico pick back up with the U.S. economic recovery,

perhaps including more higher-skilled migrants, or have economic and demographic changes

in both countries ushered in a new period of lower regional flows? As in the past, it will be a

combination of these structural factors and of policy decisions in both countries that

influences Mexico-U.S. migration flows.

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