Thread: Economy fuels Mexican migration, sociologist says

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Economy fuels Mexican migration, sociologist says
Nila Hall
Posted: 3/5/07
Onesimo Hidalgo, co-director of CIEPAC (Center for Economic and Political Research for Community Action), came to UMKC and spoke about the reasons Mexicans migrate to the United Sates.

Hidalgo is also a sociologist and has co-authored a number of books, including "Always Near, Always Far: The Armed Forces of Mexico" and "Displaced Populations of Chiapas."

"The media presents the idea that immigrants from Mexico migrate to the U.S. just to steal American jobs," said a representative from the Cross-Border Network for Solidarity and Justice (CBN). "This isn't the case."

Hidalgo said it is important to understand the economic situations in Mexico that cause migration to the United States.

"One of the main reasons for Mexico's economic crisis is the agreement with NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement)," Hidalgo said. "This came into effect Jan. 1, 1994."

Hidalgo believes this was bad for Mexico, though Mexico celebrated its entry as it signified entering into the modern world.

He discussed how Mexico had to make changes to its constitution due to rules imposed by international institutions such as the World Bank and the WTO (World Trade Organization).

Another topic was Mexico's agriculture industry. Hidalgo pointed out that farmers in Mexico are not subsidized by the government.

"The entry into NAFTA was met with opposition," he said. "For one, unions began to dwindle due to standards imposed by corporations from the U.S. and Canada."

Hidalgo spoke about the impact migration has on women and children.

"Many of the people who immigrate to the U.S. are men between the ages of 18-40, and at times there are a few women," he said. "But what happens is the women usually stay home in Mexico and they are left with the majority of labor, as well as the stress of raising the children."

Women are left as the authorities of communities, such as becoming the police, and take on responsibilities such as building bridges and repairing roads.

In some situations, if people do not migrate to the U.S., they may migrate to the border or to cities in Mexico.

Because of the high unemployment in Mexico, many people find jobs in service or young women may turn to prostitution, according to Hidalgo.

In the end, Hidalgo expressed optimism for Mexico's future.

He believes things can change for the nation, and he is working to create that change.

The presentation was sponsored by CBN, which includes church, labor, environmental and human rights organizations and activists.

The organization works on both sides of the U.S./Mexico border.

The CBN presented information about laws that impact immigrants, such as making English the official language.

Missouri, for example, has passed a law making English the official language of businesses; however, the Missouri Constitution already recognizes English as the official common language.

According to the CBN, learning English is one of the many problems immigrants face, and enforcing these laws does not help immigrants learn the language.

According to the CBN, learning English is one of the many problems immigrants face, and enforcing these laws does not help immigrants learn the language.

Yea, we know, illegal Mexicans defy all laws except ones that make them feel good.