This document summarizes the history of Mexican migration to the United States from the 19th century to present day. It discusses key events and policies that have impacted migration patterns, including: - The Mexican-American War and subsequent territorial losses that moved the border north. - The establishment of the Bracero guest worker program from 1942-1964 that brought hundreds of thousands of Mexican laborers annually. - The passage of immigration reform acts in 1986 and 1996 that legalized some undocumented immigrants but also increased border enforcement and restrictions. - Bilateral discussions between the U.S. and Mexico throughout the 20th-21st centuries to establish frameworks for legal and orderly migration while protecting migrant rights.

1. Mexican Migration
María de Lourdes Rosas López, Ph.D
Researcher and Professor
NYU-UPAEP Latino Consortium
Executive Master
in
Salute Globale
e Migrazioni
Summer, 2018
Bologna, Italy

2. The Beast

3. The Beast

4. The Beast

5. The migrants mutilated by The Beast

6. Historical Mexican Migration
Transmigration
Migratory Regional Perspective

7. CENTURY XIX

8. North America

9. Mexico 1846 and North America now

10. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, 1848

11. Republic of Texas, 1836-1845

12. Gadsden Purchase, 1853

13. The first massive mexican migration

14. Push and Pull Factors
Mining activities in California, cattle ranches in Texas
and New Mexico, agricultural production, and railway
construction in Southwest.

15. Next 40 years
2 factors increased Mexican Immmigration to US:
• Mexican and American railways were connected.
• The Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) and
Gentlemens´ Agreement (1907).

17. Rise of Mexican Immigration to the US
Source: Gibson, C. y. (2006). Historical census statistics on the foreign born population of the United States: 1850-2000. Working
Paper No. 81. Obtenido de U. S. Census Bureau: http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0081/twps0081.pdf
13,000
27,000
42,000
68,000
78,000
130,000
1850 1860 1870 1880 1890 1900
Amount
Years
Population Born in Mexico Residing in EEUU

18. Concluding
1) The border crossed the Mexicans,
reasons:
 War
 Weak Mexican state
 Sale of territory
2) Push and Pull factors caused emigration

19. CENTURY XX

20. Push and Pull Factors
United States entered
World War I.
American job market´ crisis,
1920-1940.

21. Mexican Population, 1900-1940
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940
463
718
1 210
1 729
1 904
103 222
480
640
377
Amount
(Thousands)
Years
Total Born in Mexico

22. The Bracero Program, 1942-1964
Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and
Manuel Ávila Camacho signed the
Program on August 23, 1942.
VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL5d9CWV0Xg
Both undocumented and authorized migration
ocurred simultaneously.

23. Extent of Mexican Bracero Workers
4,203
62,170
19,632
107,000
67,500
197,100
309,033
445,197
437,943
291,420
194,978
177,736
Amount
Years

24. Undocumented Immigration, 1965-1986
La “política de no tener política”
(García y Griego, 1988)
28 million Mexican migrants entered to
EEUU and 23.3 million returned to Mexico.

25. Immigration Reform and Control Act
Enacted on November 6th, 1986; signed by R. Reagan.
IRCA permited undocumented immigrants which entered
to US before January 1st., 1982 regularize their situation
migratory.
2.3 million of unauthorized Mexican migrants
changed their immigration status.
Some Consequences:
The militarization of the border
Migrate risk was increased
Circular migration movements were reduced

26. Migratory Pattern
Family Urban
Origin
Expanded
Geography
Diverse
Economic
and Labor
Composition

27. Post IRCA: Dialogue Strategy
Some consequences about IRCA´s
restriccions:
 1993, Hold-the-line Operation, El Paso,
Tx
 1994, Operación Gatekeeper, San
Diego, Ca
 1994, Proposition 187, Ca
 1996, Illegal Immigration Reform and
Immigrant responsability Act (IIRIRA)
 1996, Personal Responsability and Work
Opportunity Reconciliation Act
(PRWORA)
Mexico loses if it does not dialogue
"counteract the
narrowing of the
rights of Mexicans
in the United
States (Alba, p.24)

28. The Border
Lenght: 3,185 kilometers (1,951 miles)
URL:
https://www.azcentral.com/videos/news
/politics/border-issues/2017/09/27/-
2000-mile-border-journey/105780896/

29. Double Nationality
Constitutional Reform, 1998

30. 1970 1980 1990 2000
5 422
9071
14094
22500
788
2199
4447
8072
7029
7398
Amount
(Thousands)
Años
Mexican Origin Population Residing in US,
1970-2000
Total Mexican Immigrants Second Generation Third Generation

31. Presidents Bush and Fox, 2001
Mexican immigration is a
“shared responsability”.
Foster a legal, safe and orderly
migration Binational Program.

32. Bush and Fox´s Agenda
• Legalizing 3.5 million Mexican
immigrants.
• Increase Available Visas.
• Temporary Workers Program.
Immigrants
• Strengthening Border
Security.Border
• Promote regional development
programs in the areas of highest
migration.
Mexico

34. 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
8.5
9.9
10.2
10.7
11.1 11.1
11.8 11.8 11.9 11.9
11.6
11.9
12.2
7.3
8.2
8.3
9.2
10.1
12.0 12.1
12.8
8.7 8.8
11.9
Millions
Years
Mexican Origin Population
Residing in US, 2001-2015
Born in Mexico Second Generation Third Generation

37. Net Migration to the U.S. From Mexico
Below Zero After the Great Recession