Mexican immigration to U.S. at a standstill: report

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

By Tim Gaynor

PHOENIX | Mon Apr 23, 2012 3:07pm EDT

(Reuters) - The flow of immigrants into the United States from Mexico has come to a standstill and may have reversed, bringing a stunning end to a four-decade surge of newcomers from the country's southern neighbor, according to a study released on Monday.

The report by the non-partisan Pew Hispanic Center found that an influx that brought 12 million immigrants to the United States since the 1970s, more than half of whom came illegally, began to slow five years ago and may have reversed in the past two years.

"The standstill appears to be the result of many factors, including the weakened U.S. job and housing construction markets, heightened border enforcement (and) a rise in deportations," it said.

Other factors include the growing dangers associated with crossing north illegally from Mexico and the long-term decline in Mexico's birth rates. The report said it was possible the immigration wave would resume as the U.S. economy recovers.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/23/us-usa-mexico-immigration-study-idUSBRE83M19320120423

[Cleita]

1. Well? Isn't that what all the Americanos wanted?

After all, we want our undocumented workers to be lighter skinned and speak English. I wonder if the same standstill is evident at the Canadian border.

[KamaAina]

2. Could the rise in deportations possibly amount to anything more than a drop in the bucket?

There aren't any hard numbers given for deportation. I strongly suspect that what's driving this is "the weakened U.S. job and housing construction markets".

Throughout U.S. history, know-nothing immigration panic has risen to a fever pitch after the wave of immigration has ended.

[Yo_Mama]

7. Yes I think so too

It is not that no new people are coming in, just that the economic prospects aren't good, so that many are leaving. There were a lot of people who had Mexican citizenship only or dual citizenship, and it makes sense that some of them would find better prospects in Mexico.

Historically this is pretty much the norm for immigration.

[kestrel91316]

3. We don't seem to have a shortage of them here in L.A.

[Snake Alchemist]

4. Good? Next up: H1-B visas. nt

[Comrade Grumpy]

5. Maybe now we can quit throwing billions at that "border security" boondoggle.

It's been a real cornucopia for border sheriffs like the bulletheaded beefcake Paul Babeu, who then turn around and scream about the danger and how it's all Washington's fault. Rick Perry has been pretty good about milking that cow, too.

[lib2DaBone]

6. Problem.. reaction.. solution...

The 1% will continue to hammer away at "Illegal Immigration" because it is a hot button issue.

Eventually, the low-information Fox voters will "DEMAND" complete closing of the borders.. (both IN and OUT)

Which is exactly what the 1% wanted all along.

BTW.. Homeland Security just purchased 450 million rounds of .40 cal hollow-point handgun ammo.

In the coming weeks I look for TSA to become armed and set up internal checkpoints at rest areas along the interstate.

Also look for "Internal Passports" to be proposed very soon.

[KamaAina]

8. Source? Link?

Homeland Security just purchased 450 million rounds of .40 cal hollow-point handgun ammo.

If true, .

What makes you think it's coming so soon? "The coming weeks" sounds a bit ish, especially in an election year!

[lib2DaBone]

9. It's on the way ... no matter who is elected.....

Both parties answer to tha same 1%.

Looking for the article on the DHS Ammo.. will post it...

[randome]

22. Riiight. Looks like that's not gonna happen.

First, the 1% do not act like some monolithic offshoot of Spectre.

Secondly, having cheap, undocumented employees is something many of the 1% would prefer. All this 'fire and brimstone' about illegal immigration is just the GOP looking for new targets to gin up hatred agaist.

[LanternWaste]

18. What specifically leads you to believe this?

"In the coming weeks I look for TSA to become armed and set up internal checkpoints at rest areas along the interstate. Also look for "Internal Passports" to be proposed very soon."

What specifically and relevantly leads you to believe this?

[snooper2]

24. You really shouldn't be watching that Alex Jones crap

It will warp thy brain LOL..

[happyslug]

10. No comment on the price of corn going up the last 3- 5 years?

To understand the movement of Mexican to the US, you first have to understand which Mexicans have been immigrating north. It has NOT been the Mexicans along the US Border, most can move both sides of the Border and that area has the highest average income in all of Mexico. Thus no push from Northern Mexico into the US. The Urban Areas also tend NOT to be centers of migration to the US. Most migrants into the US have been from rural areas of Mexico AND Central America.

The main reason for the increase in Mexican going to the US since the 1990s has to do with NAFTA. Under NAFTA, Mexico dropped it long held protection of Mexican corn, permitting the US farmers to ship US Corn into Mexico. This had the affect of reducing the price of Corn in Mexico. The various small farmers in Central and Southern Mexico (as while as Central America) found themselves undercut by the massive influx of corn from the US permitted under NAFTA. Unable to break even growing corn, many moved North to look for work.

With the energy crisis and the use of corn as a bio-fuel, the price of corn has sky rocketed, thus less need for such rural small farmers to go north.

Remember to have immigration you need two things, some place to move to AND a place with excess workers. With NAFTA Mexico had to many farmers. With the price of oil going through the roof, not enough to keep corn prices low. Thus the "push" to immigrant has been reduced and if the price of corn stays high will continue to go down.

On the down side, the price of corn, a Mexican staple, has increase drastically in urban areas of Mexico, making the whole country more unstable.

People have noted this over the last five years as the price of Corn rose do to increase demand for gasohol.

[amandabeech]

16. It's not just gasahol, usually referred to now as ethanol.

It's the increase in meat eating in developing countries like China and India.

Corn is a goodly part of the feed for chickens, pigs and beef cattle. China either buys the meat here or imports the meat from here and elsewhere,particularly South America.

And lastly, but leastly, many U.S. corporations have moved production to Mexico,particularly northern Mexico, which is one reason why that area is doing well,

[alp227]

11. HOWEVER, despite this news, RW radio STILL complained "Obama is opening the borders!"

Heard that tired old talking point on both "The Savage Nation" (Jeff Kuhner filled in today) and maybe "The Mark Levin Show". The evidence is overwhelming that deportations have increased under this administration. Additionally, arrests at the border have decreased the past few years.

[EFerrari]

20. The truth is that the border patrol has been doubled

and so fast that new hires have not been adequately screened or trained, with the consequences that fatalities (killings) of immigrants by the border patrol) have radically increased during the Obama administration.

I guess it's less hassle to shoot people than to arrest them.

[treestar]

12. OK well the right wing can stop complaining about the "invasion"

And Arizona and Georgia can back off. What are they worrying about then?

[primavera]

13. And all it took...

... was making the life of a poor person even more wretched here than it is in Mexico. What a breakthrough.

[Tax Man]

14. lou dobbs is having a stroke right now

[4th law of robotics]

15. I'm guessing it's 99% for economic reasons

maybe 1% enforcement.

[LanternWaste]

17. Soon, xenophobes will collectively wonder who they're supposed to hate now...

Soon, xenophobes will collectively wonder who they're supposed to hate now... bless their little hearts.

[pampango]

19. I doubt they will wonder for long. It's a big world out there. Plenty of people to hate.

If it is the reason you get up in the morning, then you will find someone who is 'different' from you to 'tread' on.

[randome]

21. It's a Mexican standstill!

Nobody wins.

[davidpdx]

23. What this does is strengthen the argument for passing immigration reform now

The Dream Act would be a good start.

[pampango]

25. In a rational world, yes. BUT you know whom we are dealing with and "rational" is not in their

vocabulary. Moving on to the Dream Act or other path to citizenship would seem a logical next step, but republicans can't even come close to that.