1. Mexican Migration to the United States of America.

2. Mexico – USA: BACKGROUND
Napoleonic war ignites struggle for independence
Struggle lasts ten years
Treaty of Cordoba (1821)
Mexico: an independent state)

3. Mexican Colonization Law (1820 1830)
Texas in 1820 – 4,000 Mexicans
Solicited immigrants from USA
American immigrants could receive a League & Labor of land if they…
Became Mexican citizens.
Obeyed Mexican laws.
Converted to Catholicism
Slavery was illegal

4. Tensions lead to war – Independence
April 6, the Mexican government forbids further American emigration to Texas.
October 9, the Battle of Goliad takes place and ends with a victory for Texas.
On December 11, the Seige of Bexar ends with the Texans capturing Santa Anna – Mexican president

5. Mexican/American Relations
Mexican American War ( )
Set in motion by US annexation of Texas
Fighting was one-sided
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)
Mexico loses 40% of territory
Mexicans living in territory become U.S. citizens
U.S. pays $15 million for territory acquired

6. U.S. Dominates North America

7. Caribbean Basin

8. The Great Depression
High unemployment rates led to hostility towards Mexican immigrants
Deportation – but situation is Mexico is worse
Migrant work camps established by U.S. Farm Security Administration
Provided necessities
Protection
Sense of community

9. Migration Continues despite legal prohibitions
Tensions
Ethnic groups in U. S. react to growing Mexican community in the cities
Zoot Suit Riot in L.A. (1942)

10. World War II: Immigration from Mexico tolerated
Factories lit up to support war effort
Need: low-cost agricultural labor
Bracero – joint program between U.S. and Mexico to contract laborers for these jobs
Popular with farmers
5 million Mexicans came as braceros
Once war ended, U.S. deported 4 million immigrants back to Mexico, again
This was a larger deportation than during the Depression

11. lure of Jobs reignites immigration from Mexico
Bracero Program ( ) Mexicans continue their working relationship with US farmers.
Maquiladora program -
Factories within 50 miles of U.S. border given tariff preferences
developed to curtail the job incentive for new immigration
Higher US wages continued to attract migrants
Immigration act of 1987
Intended to ensure that Mexican workers here were legal
Failure to close border led to increased immigration

12. Mexican Immigration Surges
Present – currently 20 million legal residents of Mexican heritage in U.S.
1990s – more legal immigrants came from Mexico than all European countries combined
Illegal immigration surges (10 million plus)
Mexican-Americans influence culture in USA
Communication – UNAVISION
Jobs in most professions
Public office (Sonia Sotomayor – Supreme Court )
Projections: within two generations, over 25% of the U.S. residents will be of Mexican origin – largest part Mexican

13. The Wage Comparison
The minimum wage in Mexico is about 57 cents an hour. About 12.5 times less than that in the USA.
This offers a huge incentive for immigrants to come here to work and send money home to their impoverished families.
Economic crisis in Mexico in 1994 exacerbated the wage differential.

14. Economic Crisis of 1994 Devaluation of the Mexican peso
Occurred on the watch of Mexican President Carlos Salinas Gortari
Insurgent rebellion in Chipas shook the nation

15. Lack of Foresight De Gortari launched a high spending splurge
Lax banking surrounded the government loan
20 % over specualation of the Peso

16. Recovery/Aid NAFTA almost derailed
$50 billion dollars in loans/aid issued – mostly from the U. S.
Loans quickly repaid, but recovery difficult
Wages fell sharply

17. Effects on Population Movement
Migration to the U.S. (much of it illegal) increased
Family connections channeled new migrants
The more Mexican people that migrate, the larger the network becomes
Many Mexican women migrate after their husbands have established themselves n the U.S.

18. Effects on Population Movement: Women
Female migration to the United States increased
Rapidly catching up with the number of male migrants
Low paying jobs (seamstress, maids)
Prostitution
U.S. role dates back to prohibition
Relatively high-paying - $100 per day)
Violence remains a concern

19. Mexican Migration: What is Unique?
While the United States is a nation of immigrants, we have never has one foreign nationality come in so rapidly and in such numbers
Potential to change U.S. culture and institutions is unprecedented