Mexican Immigration to the USAMexican Immigration to the USA

Lizbeth Jäger-AlemánMay 2, 2006

BordersBorders and and Borderlands (1)Borderlands (1)

DefinitionDefinition of border:

“ “A border is a line that separates one A border is a line that separates one nation nation from another or, in the case of another or, in the case of internal entities, one province or locality internal entities, one province or locality from another.”from another.”

Martínez:1994Martínez:1994

Borders and Borderlands (2)Borders and Borderlands (2)

FunctionsFunctions of a border: of a border:

““To keep people in their own space and to To keep people in their own space and to prevent, control, or regulate interactions prevent, control, or regulate interactions among them.”among them.”

Martínez: 1994Martínez: 1994

Mexican-U.S. borderlandsMexican-U.S. borderlandsfrom 1853 to the presentfrom 1853 to the present

Tijuana-San Diego

Tijuana

Tepoztlán

Borderlands interactionBorderlands interaction

• Alienated borderlandsAlienated borderlands• Coexistent borderlandsCoexistent borderlands• Integrated borderlandsIntegrated borderlands• Interdependent borderlandsInterdependent borderlands

Conditions for Conditions for interdependent borderlandsinterdependent borderlands

• Stable international relationsStable international relations• The existence of a favourable economic The existence of a favourable economic

climateclimate• Policies concerning the national interests Policies concerning the national interests

of the two countries.of the two countries.

The Bracero ProgramThe Bracero Program

• The Bracero Railroad ProgramThe Bracero Railroad Program- 1942-19451942-1945

• The Bracero Agricultural ProgramThe Bracero Agricultural Program- 1942-19641942-1964- TexasTexas- WetbacksWetbacks

The “Wetbacks”The “Wetbacks”

Rio Grande Two “wetbacks”

Reactions againstReactions againstillegal immigration (1)illegal immigration (1)

• Operation Wetback Texas Operation Wetback Texas (July 1954)(July 1954)

• Immigration Reform and Immigration Reform and Control Act, IRCA (1986)Control Act, IRCA (1986)

• Operation Gate Keeper Operation Gate Keeper (1994)(1994)

• Real ID Act (2005)Real ID Act (2005)

Reactions againstReactions againstillegal immigration (2)illegal immigration (2)

Current proposal discussed at the Senate:Current proposal discussed at the Senate:

HR4437: HR4437:

The Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and The Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act, 2005Illegal Immigration Control Act, 2005

Reactions (1)Reactions (1)

Reactions (2)Reactions (2)

Some useful links Some useful links

http://www.nytimes.com/http://www.nytimes.com/

http://www.latimes.com/http://www.latimes.com/

http://spiegel.de/politik/ausland/http://spiegel.de/politik/ausland/

http://http://www.ilrc.orgwww.ilrc.org/HR4437.php/HR4437.php

http://www.nohr4437.org/http://www.nohr4437.org/

SourcesSources

• Martínez, Oscar J. (1994) Border People: Life and Society in the Martínez, Oscar J. (1994) Border People: Life and Society in the US-Mexico Borderlands. Tucson: Univ. of Arizona PressUS-Mexico Borderlands. Tucson: Univ. of Arizona Press

• Bracero Program:Bracero Program:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bracero_Programhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bracero_Program

• Operation Wetback:Operation Wetback:

http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/OO/pqo1.htmlhttp://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/OO/pqo1.html

• Durand, Jorge: “Cien años de política migratoria mexicana”Durand, Jorge: “Cien años de política migratoria mexicana”

http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2003/11/23/mas-durand.htmlhttp://www.jornada.unam.mx/2003/11/23/mas-durand.html

Thank you!Thank you!