Mexican Migration to the United States: Policy and Trends

The Mexico-U.S. migration flow is the largest in the world. Mexicans are the largest group of U.S. migrants across most types of immigration statuses—a fact that may have important implications for how Congress makes U.S. immigration policy. This report reviews the history of immigration policy and migration flows between the countries and the demographics of Mexicans within the United States. It also analyzes contemporary issues in U.S. immigration policy and the impact Mexico may have on U.S. immigration outcomes.  

Finally, Mexican Migration to the United States: Policy and Trends explores possibilities for additional bilateralism including strategies to reduce recidivism among illegal migrants and to better manage U.S.-Mexican ports of entry. Policy considerations concern potential legalization proposals and efforts to reduce unauthorized emigration from Mexico. The report notes that, in the long run, economic development and employment creation in Mexico are widely viewed as being among the best tools to reduce unauthorized emigration.  

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