Why Has Illegal Immigration From Mexico Declined?

TODAY IS TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2013

July 7, 2011 at 11:00 AM

Why Has Illegal Immigration From Mexico Declined?

Illegal immigration from Mexico to the U.S. is down. We’ll talk about the reasons why.

Deported migrants climb a fence at the U.S.- Mexico border as they prepare for the 6th annual Marcha Migrante, or Migrant March in Tijuana, a pilgrimage is organized to raise awareness on immigration issues. (AP)

In the last thirty years, millions of illegal immigrants from Mexico poured into the United States, with big impact on the U.S. economy and U.S. politics.

It was a gusher: Half a million illegals or more a year, for years at a stretch.

And now, the gusher’s over.

Americans are still yelling about illegal immigration, and millions of undocumented workers remain. But the actual flow from Mexico is way, way down.

A trickle compared to the flood. The reasons are not as simple as you might think.

This hour On Point: what threw the brakes on illegal immigration from Mexico?

-Tom Ashbrook

Guests:

Damien Cave, New York Times foreign correspondent based in Mexico City.

Katharine Donato, professor of sociology at Vanderbilt University.

Roberto Newell Garcia, vice president of the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness.

From Tom’s Reading List:

This hour, we’ll hear “Cancion 187″ by Juan Gabriel & Mariachi.

Yar

I have wondered which came first, the decline in immigration or the economic collapse. The housing bubble popped when there were no longer additional people to fill the bottom rungs on the housing ladder. Work adds value to our economy. One thing that can be said for almost all immigrants is they come to work and they work very hard once they get here.
- twenty-niner
  
  Well that’s the feel-good cover story. The reality, from someone who knows the contracting business very well, is that a lot of work by illegals is payed under-the-table in cash allowing them to essentially double dip with government subsidies such as section-8 housing, food stamps, medicaid, etc.
  - Yar
    
    Are you sure? How does one get government services without a valid Social Security number? I expect a few undocumented might be able to game the system, but the majority of fraud is by US citizens. The anger with ‘illegals’ is that they take ‘our’ jobs, at lower pay, and they work harder than we are willing or able to.
    - twenty-niner
      
      Black market. A social-security card and documents can be had for about $2-$3000.00.
      
      I expect a few undocumented might be able to game the system, but the majority of fraud is by US citizens.
      
      It’s both, but surely employers are gaming the system as well – they pay significantly less out of pocket, no FICA or workman’s comp. In the end, it’s the honest guy who loses. Honest contractors find it hard to compete, and skilled tradesmen are seeing prevailing wages fall through the floor. Illegal aliens workers are akin to scabs crossing a union picketing line.
      - Yar
        
        I just hope the honest guy focuses his rage toward the ones causing the biggest problems. If I was starving, I might be one of those scabs crossing the picket line, we should work to make the world a better place, not use our position and power to exploit and punish those who happen to be born into poverty. When the honest guy is hungry or exploited himself, it is harder for him to have compassion on the guy who truly desperate. What are you willing to do to make sure your family survives? If all the legal choices are taken away then what?
      - twenty-niner
        
        All good points. My view is America has a big enough challenge saving itself. I don’t think we’re ready to take on the rest of the world.
      - C.N.
        
        Your right.What is sad is that many of these men coming from mexico and latin america leave behind families,wives,girlfriends and children when they arive in the U.S.Many times these men start new families with american women or other immigrant women.Then forget all about their wives,girlfriends and children back in their homelands.They have to fend for themselves the best way they can.I was reading an article talking about how there are more problems with gangs and teen pregnancy in mexico and latin america,largly because these children have or are growing up without their fathers who have already left their home countries and have started new families in the U.S.So i understand when people say enforcing immigration laws will break up families.At the same time by not enforcing immigration laws the U.S. has already contributed to the break up of countless families in mexico and latin america.On both sides of the border the children will suffer the most because some wanted cheap labor and because many of these men were irresponsible in starting new families in america when they already had ones in their homelands,as well as the women in the U.S. who were naive enough to start families with men whom they knew absolutly nothing about.
- http://twitter.com/Cynthia_Burkey Cindi Burkey
  
  Absolutely. I see it all around me, every day, where I live. It’s no “cover story.” I see people working their asses off who are possibly or probably illegal. They do what immigrants to this country have always done, work hard for less pay.
Cory

Illegal workers and immigration eventually will fade as an issue as wages fall and unions disappear in this country. One day there will be no reason for them to come here because they’ll be able to make just as much in Mexico. Vive le globalism!!!
- twenty-niner
  
  Global labor arbitrage – wages regress to the mean – $0.25/day.
Ryan_hennings

I believe it is mainly due to the collapse of the housing market. But additionally it could be America’s growing concern to do something about illegal immigration, because it threatens our economy.

The easiest way to stop illegal immigration is quite simple; Stop their food source. That means make it illegal to hire, house, or disperse American benefits to illegals. That easily takes care of the problem. No need to increase troops at the boarder.

I laugh at the illegals I see on TV protesting against state laws being pasted for employers to verify employees are actual citizens of America. What do they not understand? You are ILLEGAL! You have no freakin’ rights here. Gees…
- Cory
  
  I agree with your assertions and solutions. Unfortunately, neither political party is likely to address the issue honestly.
Rex

Finishing “that dang fence” won’t help.

It’s obvious that we have/had something that they want- money & jobs.
- Cory
  
  And they have something we want even more… Dirt cheap labor without any legal protections.
Anonymous

Soon we’ll all be jumping the fence the other way to find affordable health care services south of the border. The worm is turning.
MexicoWatcher

Can Damien Cave explain further:
When he says Mexicans these days wld rather go with papers (legally) to the US, as that is more possible now than before — how so? How is that route, with papers, more possible?
- MexicoWatcher
  
  It appears that getting proper paperwork is just as tough now as it was before, for non-Mexicans too.
  
  Another Q: What country, if any, is now a popular destination for Mexican migrants, if no longer America? Thank you.
jim

there goes our competitive edge as a low cost agricultural superpower… many americans do not know illegal mexican workers absorb more jobs no americans want to have.
- Cory
  
  Could it be because of the artificially low wages created by the non-union illegals who work without any legal standing in our country?
Freeman

Tom;
Why is it that it is the responsibility of the United States Government to SOLVE this problem ? Where is our governments’ pressure on the Mexican government to DO THEIR PART. They are a foreign enemy-do we have the right to protect our property and county and ‘ take them out’ ?
Yar

What is the impact of the generation of people who stayed in Mexico and have worked to build their local economy? The US economy may not recover because we no longer have access to a cheap labor force who gave us the wealth of their youth.
Gerald Boggs

Over and over, I hear the myth of we need the illegal immigrants, because
of a shortage of workers in America. That is such a distortion of the truth.�
There is no shortage of American workers. What is true, is a shortage of
America workers willing to work for the sub-human wages which the illegals will
work. I saw this while I worked in the construction trade, I’ve seen it in the
restaurant and hotel business. Americans want to work, but we can’t work for
sub-human wages.
- BHA in Vermont
  
  The rest of this is: If they paid reasonable wages, and increased their prices accordingly, ‘we’ then say they are too expensive and won’t buy their product. ‘We’ Americans want to get paid a fair bit and pay as close to zero for everything regardless of what would be a reasonable cost.
  - Vince D
    
    There was a guy on NPR a while who did the math. To DOUBLE farm wages, a head of lettuce would rise by 5 cents. Personally, I would happily pay a nickel more to put Americans to work.
- MexicoWatcher
  
  Actually in Calif. & the agricultural sector nationwide, migrant workers are essential. The Calif. economy wld suffer otherwise.
  
  About 2 yrs ago, some agric. group (not in Calif.) tried to recruit laborers, legally. The pay was vy good (dont remember exact rate or the group), but it required working all day in the hot sun.
  
  No/few Americans applied for the job — a typical scenario.
  
  In Vermont, some farmers have had this same scenario, which one of the VT newspapers wrote about (and won a journalism prize for).
  
  G.BOGGS: Agree: Americans dont want to work for “sub-human” wages — and sometimes even when the wages are fully “human.”
  
  BHA IN VT said it well too. Americans don’t want to pay more.
Freeman

Reply to Mr. Boggs

Well now; someone finally thinking with BOTH sides of his brain.
BHA in Vermont

Isn’t there something obvious here?

Several callers said their employers said illegals were cheaper so they hire them instead.

The PEOPLE who are hiring illegals are NOT held responsible for the laws they are BREAKING.

When Reagan granted amnesty to 5 million illegals, he promised there would be no more illegals because those employing them would be prosecuted. Doesn’t happen very often. Like speeding, if there is little risk of getting caught, and the penalties are light if you do, there are a lot of people who don’t mind breaking the law.
Freeman

Tom;
Don’t we as Americans pay for a VERY large Government to PROTECT ours interest ? Why isn’t it being done ?
- Modavations
  
  Our Nanny statism is our destruction.Mexico is the land of oppurtunity.Pretty soon they’ll throw up a wall to keep us Americans out of Mexico.
Jimb

You say 500,000 illegals came in each year for years? There is probably at least 20,000 Mexicans and central americans her illegally! You are not dealing with the real problem on your show. Yes, these folks drive down wages and take jobs from native americans! This will continue as long as we put up with it! The Democrats need to start caring about citizens instead of all these immigrant rights. The solution is and it is proven that the US INS can deport 500,000 per year and solve the problem. Stop acting like we have to put up with this invasion. We are mad out here!
- A concerned Citizen
  
  Wow so you’re a Native American? Or are you a Caucasian American watching your white privilege die?
  - Modavations
    
    There are no native Americans.We came out of Africa about 100,000 years ago.The Indians(North and south)were tourists from Mongolia, who crossed the land bridge 19,000 years ago.
  - janine
    
    Racist much?
- Yar
  
  http://aztlanlibrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/anchor_babies_medium1.jpg
Realist

Many of the immigrants who now come across the US/Mexican border are now OTM (other than Mexican). Guatemalans, Salvadoreans, etc. In fact Mexico is now trying to prevent the OTMs crossing their southern border.
Jimb

Sorry I meant 20 million are here illegally
Sandra Harris

15 years of PRD government in Mexico City that has implemented multiple progressive polices like health care in an affordable cost in every neighborhood. Popular kitchens with a meal for 10 pesos and pensions for low income seniors. Something unheard before. You could not dream with a pension if you did not worked for the government.

these polices have been key to improved the livelihood of every potential migrant.
- Modavations
  
  Lady,you are so lost.If they start the “nanny state” down there,they will never progress.The U.S.Dem. Welfare state has blown up our black family!!!!!!!Mexico is cooking,precisely because it is not socialist.I can sit up in the woods in Taxco and watch O’reilly at night.
  - Terry Tree Tree
    
    Mexico is Cooking METH.
Modavations

Mexico is cooking.Since 2000 ,the Presidents have been “Free Enterprise”,Republicans(PAN).The guys are educated,they pay few taxes,there is no EPA,no NLRB,no XYZ,there is no welfare(they have intact families).
- Terry Tree Tree
  
  Moda, You haven’t moved there already? Perhaps to one of the many areas being fought over by drug cartels?
Revelz

Fascinating show. What I learned is that we need to separate the “Mexican” issue from “the border” issue. Mexico (is this a NAFTA thing?) has taken great strides. But I’m reading that folks from OTHER countries — even China — are using the Southwestern borders to transit in illegally. Since most English-speaking Americans can’t distinguish between one type of Latino and another, we tend to call them “Mexicans,” when they are actually Salvadorans, Guatemalans, Hondurans, who knows who else. Indeed, some of the most vicious drug-related killings in Mexico have punished members of these transiting nationalities for not serving as drug mules.

This was a great beginning. I’d like to see more attention to how our immigrating population is changing, in composition and total numbers.
Dan

It’s the new world economy. American’s are too complacent, demanding that they forever work the exact job they want for the high pay they want. Whether it’s immigrants, younger employees or outsourcing that take the jobs it’s all about global competition. Lets see some self reliance, lets see people better themselves and be as agile as those that are willing to do what it takes to better themselves.
twenty-niner

Obama, once again, kicks the American worker in the gut and signs a deal to allow Mexican truckers onto US highways.

“Teamsters General President Vows To Fight Plan That Threatens Jobs, Highway Safety And Border Security”

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/06/us-mexico-usa-duties-idUSTRE7655HP20110706
- Modavations
  
  Nafta has been a boon ,as is all Free trade.We can also run trucks into Mexico.UPS,Fed Ex,etc., own the Mexican market.There are McDonalds,Walmarts,Off.Depots ,everywhere.In Europe you get 10 lousy T.V.Stations.In Mexico it’s 20 and I can get O’reilly and hannity!!!!!!!
  - twenty-niner
    
    More like boondoggle…
  - Terry Tree Tree
    
    Moda, We ship illegal guns to Mexico, to help the drug cartels, who ship illegal drugs and illegal aliens to the U.S., in trucks that won’t pass inspections, driven by drivers that can’t read the necessary signs. The rich corporate criminals see no problem with expanding crime, unless it hits them directly.
    - Misha Atreides
      
      Sorry Terry. That’s just NRA propaganda….
David

From a revealing interview in ORION Magazine in 2003 by writer Chellis
Glendinning of New Mexico with a Mexican illegal (a man who ran for
mayor of his city in 1998!): “There is no other thing like being in
Mexico. Life is better down there. I came here because I had to… I
don’t like to tell you this, but we have more liberties [in Mexico] than
you do. Here in the U.S. you can’t camp out anywhere you want to. In
Mexico, you can make your camp anywhere and build your fire and cook
your little meat anywhere, in any open field, by any stream. You can go
anywhere, and this is how we travel, how we do our business, how we
band together, how we make our social movements. Over here [in the
U.S.] the land is full. It is all fenced off and separated.”
Anonymous

Maybe this, reported in July of 2010 in the Washington Post, has something to do with it:

“The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency expects to deport about
400,000 people this fiscal year, nearly 10 percent above the Bush
administration’s 2008 total and 25 percent more than were deported in
2007. The pace of company audits has roughly quadrupled since President Bush’sfinal year in office.”
David

How about inviting to your show sometime Paul Craig Roberts, a former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under Reagan, who has written stunningly prescient things about globalization the past five years (stuff one would hardly expect to hear from a person identified as a co-founder of Reaganomics). His predictions about how the American economy and people would suffer under outsourcing and bringing in foreign workers (albeit via visas) seems scarily spot on, and he explains it so that a layman like me and others can understand it.
david

Was in Wal-Mart over the weekend, heard 7 different dialects, there for a moment, I thought I was in a foreign country.
- Brett
  
  I, too, hear that sort of thing at the local WalMart…I can’t understand a word those people are saying!?! Of course, I’m talking about those pesky southern white men who speak something that doesn’t sound much like English…
  - mary
    
    It’s always all right for snotty left wingers to be prejudice
    toward southerners.
Rubyfoo

Why fewer undocumented immigrants? Heck, I’m thinking of sneaking into Canada for a little common sense in public life.
John Hamilton

I only heard the end of the show, but I can add a few things that are obvious. We don’t have much of a forum of conversation about our common concerns. Problems like immigration, the economy, climate change, budget deficits, education, health care and endless war are all treated as discontinuous “issues,” when they all occur simultaneously and in concert with each other. “Solutions” are approached politically rather than actually, and thus are inherently dishonest and inevitably non-solutions.

Because we approach, discuss and solve problems in a fake manner we get fake results, and then talk about the “solutions” in a compound fake manner. A perfect example is “911.” The attacks happened as a result of criminal negligence or worse. The resulting invasions of “Afghanistan” and “Iraq” were not in our strategic or defense interests, but in the political interests of the negligent criminals. They were perfect ways of deflecting attention from their criminality.

We have compound fake and non-solutions to immigration, with a partial result of disproportionate law enforcement. Thanks to our economic woes fewer people find the “U.S.” a less attractive place to risk their lives coming to. It’s a lot easier risking your life in the drug trade, which, thanks to our fake solutions to the desires of “Americans” to change their consciousness, is thriving both here and in “Mexico.”

The same goes for any “issue” you want to discuss. We don’t yet know what a real crisis is, but we will soon find out. We are faking our way to oblivion. The beginning of a way out is to take an addiction approach, and have a national “treatment” program. We could start by closing down Fox News.
- John Hamilton
  
  I need to do a better job of proofreading. Here’s the correction: Thanks to our economic woes fewer people find the “U.S.” an attractive place to risk their lives coming to.
Jose

We still have very over crowded schools and jails here in Los Angles from the illegal aliens so I would say they are coming more now than ever before.
MaryM

Hm.. still no podcast? What going on>??
- Anne
  
  I am wondering the same thing!
Little Yak

Actually, there are two things about immigrants; they can be the cheap labor for U.S.A economy and they also bring new ideas of innovation to this countries.
- Pin Cai
  
  you need to separate Illegal immigrants and Legal immigrants. Legals are not cheap and Illegals won’t bring any new ideas or innovation
Childofthe7nties

Here in the south, I don’t see a slowdown, but if there is one, it’s not due to the economy. The citizens of this country are increasingly putting pressure on our political leaders to enforce our country’s immigration laws and secure our borders. Laws enforced, instead of ignored, have a way of working as intended.
Bookerbienstock

When Bush Jr “tightened up” the border, it went down.. because the illegals would stay on the US side rather than go back and forth for planting/harvesting. Oh, and they’d bring their families with them, so the actual number of illegals went up by tightening the border. Nice work with unintended consequences.

Can’t wait to see a repeat of Reagan’s famed immigration policy… plan for amnesty and a border lockdown. Provide amnesty, then forget to lockdown the border.

Fact is, while the “heritage” of the USA was rooted in immigration, to hold onto some nostalgic BS that it is rooted in who we are, who we need to be, and where we will be, is self-defeating. We have who we need, it’s time to get a little tighter with immigration across the board.
Anonymous

Many people is settling in Mexico City because is the only city with very low collateral dead because of the drugs war. I think many mexicans are not going to the US because it easier to get a drugs related job in several states rather than jumping the fence, running from border patrol and then having to work all day for just a low payment and now benefits. Drugs war is really braking all moral values in Mexico. But, pot is fun so…
Anonymous

I can’t seem to understand why they can’t get rid of those illegal immigrants.

consular processing
- Love180118
  
  I disagree with all of you who want them gone. Youre damn racists who cant get their heads our your ass and see that they are the same as you just another color. they too have families just like all of us. you all need a damn reality check!!!!
  - hmmm
    
    There is a difference from racism and disagreeing with people who illegally immigrate into America. I’m perfectly fine with them coming if they go through the right steps. So why don’t you stop being discriminative towards people who don’t agree with illegal immigration.
- Citrick94
  
  don’t make them sound like pests..they just a want a better life and don’t have the time to go through the proper steps..so many people seem not to understand that
Raven Spruill18

how do mexxican get across the board to come american than they go back it is so hard for them to get back

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