Explore the interactive “Immigration Timeline” on the PBS Frontline website at: http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/mexico704/history/timeline.html
Identify and Summarize TWO key moments of policy change in US/ Mexico immigration policy that relate to our recent study of Mexico’s economy and government.
Read and summarize “NAFTA and US Immigration” by Alejandro Portez on the “Border Battles: The US Immigration Debate” website at: http://borderbattles.ssrc.org/Portes/
Explain how you believe NAFTA policy is impacting US/ Mexican relations. Does the Trade Agreement seem to be benefiting trade? Diplomacy? Human rights? Explain.
Be prepared for a seminar or quiz on these readings in class on Wed. 5/ 27
250 words or more
Post due Wednesday May 27 before class
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Elizabeth Che - Block CPart 1 - divided into two parts because of lengthTwo key moments of policy change in US / Mexico immigration policy described on Frontline's World Mexico: Border Timeline is the Recession, Amnesty and the Right to Education in 1980s, and the 9/11 and Homeland Security in 2000 to Present. In 1982, Mexico's economy was facing a crisis as the peso devalued repeatedly. High unemployment lead to an increase in illegal immigration to the United States. Illegal immigrants often worked along the borders in maquiladoras, which were manufacturing facilities that assembled imported parts for products of export (foreign-owned factories) that paid low wages. In response, the US Supreme Court ruled that children of illegal residency had to public education. Compared to education in Mexico where schooling required payment, illegal residents were able to enroll their children in school for free.
ReplyDeleteThe Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 was directed at prosecuting US employers who hire illegal immigrants. It also provided 2.7 million illegal workers already in the United States, legal status. As a result of the amnesty, illegal immigration increased drastically, with an estimated total of 5 million and 1.7 million illegal Mexican immigrants. Mexican aPresident Carlos Salinas de Gortari (1988) privatized the nation's nationalized industry and deregulated the economy, which lead to the formation of the NAFTA. At this time, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) operated on a budget of $80 million which was four times the amount of the previous budget.
By 2000, the INS budget became $5 billion and the illegal immigrant population was of 7 to 9 million with more than half being Mexicans. Maquiladoras declined as cheaper labor became more common in Asia and other areas outside of the United States. As the United States suffer a recession, Mexico's dependent economy fell along. Due to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, security at the borders were emphasized to prevent terrorists from entering the country. In 2003, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reorganized the INS and USDA into approx. 20 various agencies such as Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Citizenship and Immigration Services. As immigrants increase their illegal crossings, crimes would inevitably be on the rise such as human smuggling. The United States Justice Department decided to spend $7 million on 60 more prosecutors to border districts to prosecute border crimes.
"AFTA and US Immigration” by Alejandro Portez describes NAFTA's failure at improving Mexico's economy overall. Specifically, the North American Free Trade Agreement was believed to help Mexico prosper and create enough employment to stop people from immigrating, however, statistics show otherwise. There has been less than 2% on a per capita basis since 2000 for economic growth and unemployment is at a high, more so than before the establishment of NAFTA.
Benefiters of NAFTA were those of large transactional corporations with "abundant labor, slack regulation, and open borders (... for industrial goods and capital)." Globalization appears to be another form of imperialism as American companies dominate the cities. Mexico City for example is described to be like Los Angeles with Toys R Us, Office Depots, and TGIFs that sell products only one-tenth of the population can afford. Due to agricultural businesses and the closure of hundreds of plants, peasants and workers are unable to keep up with the competition of the "free-for-all trade regime" and forced to move north, increasing illegal immigration rates. As a result, many Mexican municipalities, towns and villages became empty, ghost towns. Overall, able adults have immigrated and one third of all Mexican municipalities have lost half+ of their population. Compared to the past where the "Hispanic" population consisted of few wealthy Cuban and South American professionals (1990), the present is of undocumented Mexican laborers.
Elizabeth Che - Block CPart 2NAFTA policy may seem to strengthen and open more trading opportunities between the United States and Mexico however, it is bringing an increase in tension and criticism between the two countries. Mexico sees their economic decline to be the fault of the competitive corporations and communist like changes in their nation. Mexico's depression reached new records after the signing of NAFTA which leads to increased illegal border crossings and activity The United States, facing it's own recession, is ultimately spending more funds towards strengthening borders and prosecution of apprehended law breakers. For both countries, profit does not seem evident, even with the case of large corporations whose products only satisfy a tenth of Mexico's population.
ReplyDeleteThe Trade Agreement seems to be benefiting trade as opposed to diplomacy and human rights. The main purpose of NAFTA is to create more opportunities in Mexico to stop illegal immigration, however, ever since the agreement was signed, Mexico has been facing even worse situations. The Mexican government and population see the fault lies in the United States as changes in their culture revolved around NAFTA. The agricultural industry for example, was dispersed due to the imports from America. Trades were the only ones flourishing as with foreign investment and corporations opening branches whose services affected only the elite and middle class. Human rights, were diminished as competition led to decline in wages and social standards. Since illegal immigrants were not documented, they were paid lower than minimum and long hours with competition from Asia's popularized cheap labor.
Mariel Elia
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FRONTLINE – Immigration Timeline shows how immigration wasn’t only a problem now, its traced back to the late 1800’s. The United States have been trying to stop immigration since the 1800’s when inspection stations were set up around the southern border. “Early Migration – Labor and War” explain what America did to try to prevent immigration. During the Great Depression many American immigrants traveled from Oklahoma and other deserted places to California. Since California is had more job opportunities, people tried to find work. When the United States was battling two countries (Europe & Asia), they turned to Mexico to help them out. They needed to keep the railroads operating so products can be moved from one place to another. In 1976 Mexico discovered the off shore oil reserve called the Cantraell Field. Mexico officially nationalized the oil industry and it was a success. In class we have been studying the positive and negative sides of NAFTA. The articles above show the impact of illegal immigrants. People have been searching for jobs for a while and with recent recession, its not only affecting Americans, but also Mexican people. The depression changed lives and made Americans and Mexicans migrate to other locations for better job opportunities.
BORDER BATTLES-NAFTA and Mexican Immigration, explains the outline of the NAFTA plan. NAFTA was supposed to stop Mexican immigration. It was supposed to make Mexico rich and circulate enough money so everyone was comfortable. Little did Mexico know, this wasn’t as expected. America and Mexico fell into the same trap. The workers in Mexico suffered because of the rising prices in the housing market and the lost of jobs. Not only had Mexicans suffered but Americans too. Since Mexican people have been migrating to America, job spaces have been taken up. There has been lost jobs in runaway industries and new competition from migrant workers displayed by the same type of economic plan as Mexico. The article portrays the negatives of NAFTA. We have been learning about the roots of NAFTA in our economics class. There is only one positive aspect that I’ve seen so far and that is putting money into the economy to help circulate the money and help make the economy stable.
Justin Lefkowitz
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The period from 1942 to 1965 proved to be a time of great growth for both the Mexican and American economies. One of the key policies was the Braceros Program. The other key policy created was Operation Wetback.
This growth resulted from the Braceros Program. On August 4, 1942, the U.S. and the Mexican government instituted the Braceros Program. Thousands of impoverished Mexicans abandoned their rural communities and headed north to work as Braceros. The Braceros were Mexican peasants who were hard-working, highly skilled agricultural laborers. As a result of the Braceros Program, more than four million Mexican farm laborers came to work the fields of the United States. The Braceros converted the agricultural fields of America into the most productive in the planet. The agricultural economy of the United States benefited and so did the agricultural economy of Mexico.
Operation Wetback was a plan devised in 1954 by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service to help reduce the amount of illegal Mexican immigrants living in the United States. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and INS Commissioner Joseph Swing created this semi-successful plan that helped get rid of about three million illegal immigrants in the Southwestern United States. The reason why it was not fully successful was because illegal immigration continued occurring. Also, members of the U.S. Border Patrol adopted the practice of stopping "Mexican-looking" citizens on the street and asking for identification. This practice incited and angered many U.S. citizens who were of Mexican American descent. After many of these United States citizens got angry, the INS and US Government realized that they needed to abandon Operation Wetback. Operation Wetback seemed like it was a strong movement for nationalism. It helped strengthen the bond between many Americans, but at the same time, it started a bit of a tear in the relations between the United States and Mexico.
The North American Free Trade Agreement has been affecting the relationship between the United States and Mexico for both good and bad reasons. The North American Free Trade Agreement was made to place Mexico in a better financial position and create enough employment incentives to keep its people at home. It was also created to help strengthen trade ties with the countries of North America, including Mexico, the United States, and Canada. According to the article written by Alejandro Portes, “More than ten years after the signing of the treaty, economic growth has been anemic in Mexico, averaging less than 3.5 percent per year or less than 2 percent on a per capita basis since 2000.” Since NAFTA was signed, the unemployment rate in Mexico rose above what it originally was. There are some positive affects to NAFTA. Mexican cities and large Mexican industries are benefitting in big ways. Mexican cities have grown with many American businesses like Toys R Us and TGI Fridays. Many Mexican businesses are benefitting from the new trade tariffs from NAFTA.
Depending on whom you are, NAFTA could be good or bad. I feel that North America would have been better off not signing NAFTA. Many of the lower class citizens in Mexico are not at all benefiting. They can’t find jobs to support their families and when they do find jobs, they don’t pay too much. The upper class citizens seem to benefitting the most. They can find jobs in many markets.
Ashley Fishkis
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Two key movements of policy change in the US/Mexico immigration policy that relate to our study of Mexico's economy and government are when the mass deportations of Mexicans began due to the Great Depression, due to there not being enough jobs to keep them in the country, thus forcing them to be discovered and sent back to their home lands, something similar to what is happening today, during the recession, many illegal immigrants are being sought out and sent back to their homes in order to create jobs for Americans who otherwise are out of work, even though these illegal immigrants take the jobs that most Americans don't want to be doing. These migrants went out west to California and Oklahoma to take on farming jobs, which subsequently were destroyed due to the Dust Bowl. Another key movement would be NAFTA and it's effects on US and Mexico relationships both economically and in terms of migration. Due to NAFTA, the borders in California and Texas began to be monitored more strictly due to increased immigration of Mexicans looking for employment in the States that Mexico could not offer them. This result(ed)s in making the move into the United States much more difficult, but still possible, by taking risky paths through deserts in order to find work in the Southwest.
NAFTA and Mexican Immigration essentially explains the after effects of what NAFTA was supposed to accomplish. By establishing a stable economy in Mexico, trade was supposed to increase and immigration was supposed to decrease. Unfortunately, NAFTA led to the increase of illegal immigration from Mexico, increasing the hispanic population, but not promoting trade between the two nations whatsoever. Mexican residents are still moving into the States in order to take jobs that to us would be considered low paying, but to them enough to support their families back in Mexico. This results in a lack of work availability in Mexico, leading to a stagnation in economic growth, without workers. The fact of the matter stands that NAFTA was one of the biggest failures of the 90's, and 10 years later we are feeling the repercussions. It does not benefit trade, diplomacy, or human rights, and instead sets it back, as we need to create laws and build walls to stop illegal immigration into the United States, which by no means benefits diplomacy or human rights.
Dominique D. Johnson
ReplyDeleteBlock A. ECONOMICS
May 27, 2009
Identify and Summarize TWO key moments of policy change in US/ Mexico immigration policy that relate to our recent study of Mexico’s economy and government.
One of the key moments of policy change in US and Mexico immigration policy that relates to our recent study of Mexico’s economy and government is the Immigration Reform in the 1990s. This reform basically promoted the amount of immigrants to enter the United States from 500,000 to 700,000. Also this reform presented an understandable logical idea which was to create a visa lottery system. This system was designed to promote even more “diversity”. But the key is to promote more immigration from underprivileged nations in Africa. This allows more people to have better jobs and to also promote underemployment in the United States. Perhaps this would also promote lower wages for the immigrants working illegally. This relates to our recent study because many illegal immigrants that come from Mexico work illegally in the United States. As the economy continues to prosper, the wage amount either stays the same or decreases.
Another key moment of policy change in the US and Mexico immigration policy that relates to our recent study of Mexico’s economy and government is the attack on September 11 and the response from Homeland Security. After the attack on September 11, Homeland Security became stricter as to the amount and who can enter the United States. Regulations on trade between other countries were enforced and the cut down of illegal immigrants in the United States were extremely enhanced. Border control was intensified in an attempt to prevent terrorists from entering the country. Many agencies formed as a result of this attack; that enforces the emphasis of importing and exporting goods. Congress increased the spending on promoting new laws and reinforcing passed laws. Many people in Congress believe that there should be an increase in boarder control and more security along guest worker programs and a path toward citizenship. Also this act helps Mexico in cracking down on drug traffickers and human smuggling.
Read and summarize “NAFTA and US Immigration” by Alejandro Portez on the “Border Battles: The US Immigration Debate”.
“NAFTA and US Immigration” by Alejandro Portez was published in July 2006. This article addresses how NAFTA’s agreement between Mexico was supposed make Mexico a rich country both in money and employment so that illegal immigration would cease. However, this has yet to happened and every other country is becoming increasingly more rich off of Mexico. The increase of illegal immigration has sky rocketed. The illegal Mexican immigrants are receiving low wages and forced to settle out of fear of being deported. The reporter goes on to discuss the class differences and the in demand products that are sold for hundreds and created for only a few cents. He addresses the media and their negative response towards illegal immigrations. He believes that Mexicans and Americans are alike. In conclusion to this article, he feels that something needs to change and fast. A solution should be reached and therefore allow Mexico to grow.
Explain how you believe NAFTA policy is impacting US/ Mexican relations. Does the Trade Agreement seem to be benefiting trade? Diplomacy? Human rights? Explain.
NAFTA’s policy is impacting the US and Mexican relations by forcing more illegal immigrations and to increase lower wage from American corporations. Also, many companies will not be regulated on the work environment or forbid the promotion of unions. Then again, if Mexican farmers continue to form unions and sell the product as a whole to companies, they would continue to profit.
Teresa Konopka
ReplyDeleteIndependent Study
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From 1942 to 1965, the US relied on Mexico to help its railroad industry. The Bracero Program was set up to make this possible. When illegal immigrants came to the US, the deal was off. As a response, Operation Wetback was initiated by the American government. This was a large scale Mexican deportation. The Immigration and Nationality Act put a quota on the amount of immigrants entering from each hemisphere.
Prior to 1942, border stations were erected to made sure not too many immigrants entered. These lose fervor as men were needed in war, not guarding borders. Later, Border Patrol was reinstated as the prohibition movement was starting up. This just encouraged smuggling of alcohol across the border. Large deportations happened in the Great Depression and in the Second World War. Many immigrants were to work in dust bowl areas where work was needed to repair American.
NAFTA and Mexican Immigration are related. NAFTA was supposed to make Mexico wealthy enough so Mexicans would not want to come to America. However, the Mexican economy has suffered greatly since. The low wages that Mexicans get aren’t even enough to get by. Also, due to prejudice, many won’t hire them for more money. The only people that gained anything was the large monopolies. To make matters worse, it is getting harder and harder for Mexicans to make a living with agriculture. Those officials who did sign NAFTA did not do a good enough job. Apparently, both Mexicans and Americans suffer from NAFTA because Mexicans are paid little and Americans are irate that jobs are being given to Mexicans.
Peer Response:
Dominique’s point about forcing more illegal immigrants and increasing lower wage from American corporations makes me think. Does NAFTA have a hidden agent they are not showing?
Sylvia Shojai
ReplyDeleteBlock A
In the 1970s, illegal immigration had been deemed out of control in the United States. A staggering four out of five illegal immigrants entering the US were Mexicans. By 1972 the numbers for illegal immigration had risen to beyond one million. So in 1975 the US House of Representatives introduced a bill providing for amnesty along with employer sanctions for hiring illegal immigrants. Attempts to crack down on illegal immigration included President Gerald Ford setting up a Domestic Council Committee on Illegal Aliens. The feedback from this concluded that illegal immigrants were hurting the job situation for workers who already settled to work for low wages, because the illegal immigrants would do the job for even less. Not pleased with the proposals, Congress passed a law in 1978 to create the Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policy to further explore national solutions. They recommended a stricter monitoring of law enforcement. This would mean employer sanctions so that employers could be penalized for hiring illegal immigrants, as well as a tighter border control.
In the 1990s the issue of illegal immigration was still at large and began to resurface in political reforms. In 1990 under resident George H. W. Bush’s rule the Immigration Act was passed. This new law interestingly increased the allotted number of immigrants granted entrance to the US from 500,000 to 700,000 each year. It also created a visa lottery system which was meant to promote ethnic variety from some less popular countries. The law also foresaw the start to the US Commission on Immigration Reform. This stressed the governments need to improve border control to restrict illegal immigration since there was already so much legal immigration allowed for. This reform dealt with the issue more firmly as such that both the employer and employee would face repercussions if caught. It took away non emergency medical services for illegal immigrants thus making it more risky for them to work at their own will with limited medical coverage. With all of these illegal immigration reforms, surprisingly the number managed to increase again to almost three and a half million by 1992.
In the article, “NAFTA and Mexican Immigration” by Alejandro Portes, the author criticizes the CEOs and CFOs of open market companies who are benefiting from NAFTA. NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Union was created with the objective in mind that Mexico would prosper from it. However it depleted both Mexico and the US’s economies in the job field in terms of wages and workers rights. The current unemployment rate in Mexico is higher than it was before NAFTA. The article also mentions how peasant agriculture is being affected by the sale of their land. Before NAFTA came about Mexicans that migrated North only came from four or five states. Since NAFTA, they have been migrating from just about every single state. The author defends illegal immigrants in this article, putting the actually blame on government officials who vouched for the creation of NAFTA. There is no way they could have believed that free trade would be the end to the immigration issue. Now both the Mexican and American workers are feeling the heat. Mexican immigrants still struggle for employment opportunities to arise and are met with rising prices at home. Americans are struggling with the job market at its lowest, along with the competition that is formed between them and the Mexicans who are aiming for the same jobs as they are.