Thread: Mexican Immigrant Workers on Both Sides of the Border

Community as Place and Identity: Mexican Immigrant Workers on Both Sides of the Border

Dec 20, 2007

Newswise — As Mexican immigrant workers have moved into the heartland of the United States seeking stable employment, particularly in the poultry industry, they have developed a sense of home that encompasses life on both sides of the border. According to a University of Arkansas anthropologist, community identity is important, both for ties to Mexico and survival in the United States.

In an article published in the current issue of American Ethnologist, Steve Striffler writes about the yearly trek of some Arkansas poultry workers back to their hometown, a place he calls “Santo Domingo.â€

[quote]At the same time, Striffler suggests that the trips back to Santo Domingo are not simply about maintaining ties with Mexico. They are also important for “creating and reproducing social relationships that support life in the United States.â€

That is why they don;t assimilate. They still consider themselves Santa Domingians.