Mexican Migration to the United States : The Role of Migration Networks and Human Capital Accumulation (Garland Studies in the History of American Labor)

Contrary to the thinking of some U.S. policymakers, changing macroeconomic conditions in the both the U.S. and Mexico have little effect on Mexican migration. This book evaluates the importance of family networks and human capital accumulation in the migration decisions of Mexican households. Family networks substantially increase the likelihood that a Mexican head of household participates in the migration to the United States. The prior migration experience of close relatives and the presence of family and friends in the United States reduce migration costs and provide vital information about the migration process. Moreover, a head of household with a family network tends to be more transitory, spending shorter periods of time on both sides of the border. While in the United States, Mexican migrants may develop new talents and acquire valuable work experience, enabling them to secure higher wages in the Mexican labor market. To examine this largely unexplored topic, the...