Changing Trends In Migration Flows From Mexico To The United States

Although some observers tend to view Mexican migrations to the United States as a common socio demographic phenomenon due to the vicinity of the two countries in the context of unequal economies, late drastic reduction  in migration flows from Mexico to the United States pose several questions. In the views of some analysts this is mostly associated to the security measures practiced by the U.S. government on its southern border after September 11, however there are other indications that point out in a different direction suggesting that these changes might be associated with a set of several factors in which demographic variables along with economic, labor market and political  ones are closely interconnected, or if not is the case they coexist and interact in the same political arena.    

Other variations of Mexican migration flows have to do with the repatriation to Mexico of huge numbers of irregular or undocumented migrants most of whom were previously residing with their families in the U.S.  On another dimension there have also been some changing characteristics in the flows of Central American migrants crossing Mexican territory on their way to the United States. This new trend has been offering a challenge to Mexican authorities with new implications to the legal Mexican political framework.          

One objective of this presentation is to offer data and information related to the kind of changes that have taken place lately not only  in terms of Mexican migrations to the U.S., but with respect to the different political actions in the U.S. as well as in Mexico with reference to Central American migrants crossing the country and staying in the country.  

A second objective is to interpret these new modifications at the light of other general changes especially those concerning the “management” of migration flows by other governments.