Are undocumented Mexican immigrants hiding out in the shadows?
Or are they hightailing it to Mexico in the wake of the recession?
And does stepped-up enforcement affect their numbers?
This July, two contradictory reports claimed to have the answers.
The Pew Hispanic Center says the flow of migrants into the USA from Mexico has decreased, but the flow of migrants back into Mexico has held steady since 2007. Long story short: not as many Mexican migrants are coming to the USA, but those who are here are staying, for the most part. You can read the report here. Note the center used data from the Mexican government, the Border Patrol and other sources.
Then, once you’ve absorbed it, read the report by the Center for Immigration Studies, which opposes illegal immigration. The CIS says fewer undocumented immigrants are coming to the USA, and more are going back to their countries of origin. The reasons: stepped-up enforcement and the recession. The researchers used Census Bureau data and cited declines in remittances of money sent to Mexico. You can read the report here.
OK, so one study says undocumented immigrants are hightailing it to the border, the other report says they’re staying put.
Do your observations square with either of the two reports? Why?
Everyone says they’re staying.