MEXICANS IN THE U.S.

—
LEGAL ILLEGAL AND
“OTHER”
LET’S SEE WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED
THIS SEMESTER—ROUND 2 OF
“WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT
MEXICO?”
 THESE ARE STATS FROM
2008:
THERE ARE AROUND 11
MILLION ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
IN THE US.
IN 2005, 57% OF THE
ILLEGALS WERE FROM MEXICO,
AND 24% FROM OTHER LATIN
AMERICAN COUNTRIES.

IN MANY PARTS OF THE US, ALL ILLEGAL

IMMIGRANTS WHO SPEAK SPANISH ARE
ASSUMED TO BE MEXICAN….
PROFESSIONS [AS REPORTED
BY NPR AND USA TODAY]
3-4% WORK IN
AGRICULTURE

21-33% WORK 16-19% WORK IN

IN SERVICES CONSTRUCTION AND RELATED
ACTIVITIES

15-17% WORK IN PRODUCTION,

INSTALLATION AND REPAIR
10% IN MANAGEMENT

12% IN SALES
8% IN
TRANSPORTATI
ON
 IN 2006
6, 570,000 ILLEGAL RESIDENTS WERE FROM MEXICO

ABOUT ½ MILLION CROSS THE BORDER EVERY YEAR.

MANY ARE TEMPORARY, AND EVENTUALLY

RETURN TO MEXICO AND THEIR FAMILIES.

THE DIFFICULTIES AND EXPENSES INVOLVED IN

CROSSING THE BORDER PROMPTS MANY TO STAY
LONGER THAN ANTICIPATED.
 COYOTES
PROFESSIONAL SMUGGLES OF INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE BORDER.
 Coyote abuses
As providers of illegal
services to desperate
clients, they are basically
mercenaries.

Clients who pre-pay may

be abandoned in the
desert without water or
protection.
 Other coyotes pack as many
bodies as they can into trucks,
with no concern for those stuck
inside. Death by asphyxiation
is not uncommon.
 Those who help

Mindful of the
deaths in the
desert, there are
humanitarians on
the US side who
provide water
stations for those
crossing the
desert, reasoning
that no human
being deserves to
die in such a
horrible way.
Their next-door-neighbor may
have a different approach
 http://www.minutemanhq.com/

http://www.arizonamilitia.com/

http://www.mexicansgohome.com/
 Governmental efforts
In the 1930s, Congress ennactedthe Mexican
Repatriation act. Around 500,000 Mexicans and
Mexican Americans were deported or coerced into
emigrating. The majority of those removed were
US citizens.

In 1954, “Operation Weback” deported a sizeable

number of illegal immigrants, along with their leal
US born children.
 Economic impact
An MIT study shows that illegal
immigraton has a substantial effect
on reducing the economid status of US
poor while benefiting middle class
and wealthier people.

Illegal workers are

estimated to pay around $7
billion per year into Social
Security.

An American Bar
Association report
estimates that illegal
immigrants contribute more
in taxes than they cost in
social services.
 Deportation
1,159,802 apprehensions in 2004.

Fewer than 4% prosecuted because it costs $90 / day to

incarcerate.

Most sign a form that they are voluntarily

returning to Mexico, and are taken by bus to
the border.

In the summer of 2004 an experimental

program of “deep repatriation” was run, with
151charter flights costing $50,000 each
taking those apprehended into Central and
Southern Mexico.
 Crime
There are statistics proving that illegal immigration raises crime
rates, and others proving that they don’t. You have to be VERY careful
when considering the source of these statistics. If there are no
reliable footnotes or bibliographies, someone may have made the
information up.

Reliable sources state that violent crimes on the border

related to smuggling have risen, gangs from El Salvador
have set up bases in Mexico and have launched attacks on
the Border Patrol.
However, large groups of immigrants concentrated in urban
areas have not affected the crime rates.
 Economic concerns

They’re taking our They do jobs that we don’t want/won’t

jobs! do!

True, if what you’re True. The average salary for an

looking for is illegal worker is $4.15 / hour.
unskilled, low Minimum wage is $7.25.
paying labor.

Those hurt: the

high school
dropouts, the ex- An illegal worker may or may not pay
cons, the income taxes/have taxes deducted from
mentally salary. He or she will certainly pay
challenged. sales tax on anything purchased.
The latter has no
choice; the first 2
did.
 Solutions?

Guest workers? Amnesty? Historical perspective? [how many of you are

Oneida?]

What to do with the kids born here of illegal parents?

The German example: prior to 1975, children born in

Germany only were legal citizens if born to a German
father.

Since 2000 all children born in Germany to non-German

parents are citizens if at least one parent is a legal
resident and has resided in the country for at least 8
years.
 While you ponder those
questions, let’s see what
you’ve learned this semester!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/19523013/What-Do-You-Know-About-Mexico