1. MEXICAN MIGRATION TO THE USA A Focus on Missouri
Immigrants, Policies and Migration Systems: An Ethnographic Comparative Approach (MIGSYS)
MEXICAN MIGRATION TO THE USA A Focus on Missouri
Uma A. Segal
Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies School of Social Work & Center for International Studies University of Missouri—St. Louis, U.S.A.
October 2-3, 2008

2. Policies Immigration policies (admission)
Who we let in
Why we let them in
Who we keep out and how
Immigrant policies (integration)
Once they are in, how do we help them integrate?
What resources do we allow them to access?
Are there any stipulations to accessing resources?
Literacy in own language increases likelihood of literacy in another

3. Continua of Interest: Host Country Attitudes
Political & Cultural
Considerations
I II
Economic
Effects
III IV

4. Immigration Control Policies
External immigration control—prevention
Border enforcement (U.S. primary focus)
Visa/passport control
Internal immigration control—enforcement
Workplace enforcement
Apprehension & Deportation
Literacy in own language increases likelihood of literacy in another

5. Level of Deprivation in Mexico

6. Legal & Unauthorized Immigrants
More recent reports by the Pew Center revealed that its estimates indicate between 12 to 13.5 million undocumented immigrants (56% million from Mexico) reside in the U.S. in 2006
Over half the undocumented immigrants are “overstays.”

7. Total U.S. & documented Mexican Populations, 2007, in thousands
AGE
United States
Mexican
Missouri
Number %
Total Male and Female
301,621
100.0
29,167
9.7
5,878
122
2.1
Under 18 years
73,908
25.5
10,645
3.5
1,370
23.3 47
0.8
years
189,872
63.0
17,280
5.7
3,727
63.4 71
1.2
65+ years
37,841
12.5
1,242
0.4
782
13.3 4
0.0
MEDIAN AGE (years)
36.7
(X)
25.8
37.5
23.9

8. Occupational Distribution of Natives and Mexican Immigrants (percent)
Occupations
All Mexican Immigrants
Legal Mexican Immigrants
Undocumented Mexican Immigrants
U.S. Natives
Professional & Managerial
5.5
9.2
1.5
32.2
Technical sales, Admin., Support
10.2
15.0
4.9
29.2
Service Occupations, Private Household
1.7
1.2
0.3
Farming Managers, Forestry, Fishing
1.6
1.1
Service Occupations, Not Private Household
18.3
18.4
18.2
10.3
Farming, Except Managerial
13.4
9.7
17.5
1.0
Precision Production, Craft, and Repair
19.4
17.0
22.0
11.9
Operators, Fabricators, and Laborers
30.1
27.4
33.1
14.0
Total
100.0

9. In September 2007, the Missouri Legislature passed…
imposing penalties on employers of undocumented immigrants
restrictions on allowing the enrollment of undocumented immigrants in public higher education
ensuring that English is used in official deliberations
involving the Missouri Highway Patrol in enforcing immigration laws

10. State Legislation Legal Services Education Miscellaneous Employment
Omnibus/Multi-Issue Measures
Public benefits
Voting
Resolutions
Education
Employment
Health
Human Trafficking
ID/Driver’s Licenses
Law Enforcement
MO high level activity group, passing 21+ laws (44 states together considered 1,100+ bills in the first quarter of 2008

11. Data Collection IRB review Subjects
Immigration lawyer specializing in Mexican migration
Physician/Administrator Latino Health Center
Young professional documented male
Middle aged restaurant owner who adjusted undocumented status in the 1980s

12. FRAMEWORK FOR THE IMMIGRANT/REFUGEE EXPERIENCE Conditions in Home Country Status in Home Country Experience in Home Country Reasons for Leaving Home Country Push Pull Transition to Country of Immigration Emigration Immigration Response to the Immigration Process Immigrant’s resources Readiness of receiving country for migration for acceptance of immigrant Adjustment to the Receiving Country’s Lifestyle & Culture Implications for Business & Society

13. Before Migrating: Nodal Point 1
Taking the decision to move
Economic situation
Assessing the benefits as outweighing costs
In Mexico, family situation poor, but not dire

14. Before Migrating: Nodal Point 2
Making the move
Opportunities available
Legal entry
Tourism
Legitimate job opportunity

15. Migrating: Nodal Point 3
Arrival
Housing & assistance
Authorized entry
Overstay
Social network
Job-related network

16. After Migrating: Nodal Point 4
Adaptation
Social integration
Career progression
Satisfactory employment, education, health care, housing access
Difficult
Difficult if unauthorized

17. Migrating: Nodal Point 5
Settlement
Integration
Home purchase
Experience of discrimination

18. Most undocumented migrants in St. Louis
are overstays
enter with family members although the main agent is the male
are young and most women are married
retain close ties with family in Mexico
come to improve economic opportunities
were working in Mexico
“plan” on returning to Mexico at some time

19. Knowledge of Policies…most
are unaware of the range of control policies
know that there are channels to get papers that will allow them to work
have access to word-of-mouth information about employment opportunities
do not anticipate using welfare services
know they will pay taxes
know that their children will have access to education

20. Arrival and settlement
Housing support through employer or through family networks
Housing and job opportunities readily available
Access to Social Security numbers relatively easy
Aware of resources available but prefer to stay within Spanish speaking community
Network of professional Mexicans not readily accessible…isolation
Plans are to earn enough to return to Mexico and live comfortably

21. Changes in Migration Patterns
Circular migration replaced by permanency in migration
Equal gender migration and increases in child migration
Movement from border states to less populated states
Settlement in small towns rather than urban or rural areas
Border control may be working…September 2008

22. Additional Issues Immigration vs. immigrant policies
Are current U.S. policies just?
Who should be admitted? Who should be denied?
How is information about policies disseminated?
Is there an adequate infrastructure to implement immigration/immigrant policies?
How can implementation be evaluated?
What are the short- and long-term consequences of U.S. immigration policies
Once immigrants are allowed into the country, or not kept out, what should policies toward them be?

23. Understanding of Immigration
Usually immigrants and immigrant experiences
Explore further Nodal Points 1 & 2
Who does not seek to emigrate?
Who rejects the idea of emigrating?
“Better” opportunity in Mexico
Lost benefits of moving
Fear of immigration control policies
No resources to move

24. Recent observations in EU countries
Concerns about keeping the population
How can economic opportunities be created in sending countries…case of Korea, Japan, India?
Economic opportunities in host countries balanced against loss of culture/networks

25. University of Missouri – St. Louis, U.S.A.
In general…the U.S. is receptive to newcomers…it is still the land of opportunity…
Thank you
Uma A. Segal
University of Missouri – St. Louis, U.S.A.