V' NELLY SALGADO DE SNYDER

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The impact of Mexico-US migration in the life
styles of those who go and those who stay behind

• V. NELLY SALGADO DE SNYDER
• nsnyder_at_insp.mx

Immigration Summit Thursday, September 25, 2007
Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública www.insp.mx
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Heterogeneity of Mexicans

• Race and ethnicity (Indian, African, European and
  Mestizo).
• Social Class (from extreme poverty to extreme
  wealth).
• Social Organization (family structure, religious
  beliefs, political ideology).

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Voluntary vs involuntary resettlement

• Direct participation in the resettlement process
  will determine the successful adaptation to the
  host country
• Voluntary immigrants --when compared to forced
  refugees-- have more opportunities of being
  successful and manifest more satisfaction with
  their living conditions in the host country.

Source Salgado de Snyder, V.N. et al., 1996
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How many immigrants and refugees in the
world? More than 175 million people live outside
their countries of birth (50 are
women). Migrants comprise more than 15 percent
of the population in over 50 countries These
numbers will grow as demographic push and
pull factors intensify
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The population of Mexico

• In Mexico there are 103 million inhabitants
  (2006) (three million less than expected by
  CONAPO projections)
• 65 million reside in urban localities (more than
  15,000 inhabitants)
• 10 million reside in semi-urban communities
  (2,500-15,00 inhabitants)
• 25 million reside in localities of less than
  2,500 people (196,000 villages).

INEGI, 2006, 2000
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Immigration to the U.S.

• There are more than 27 million people of Mexican
  origin in the United States (CONAPO, 2004)
• About ten million are Mexican-born immigrants,
  of which approximately 45 are women and minors
  (CONAPO, 2004)
• About 35 of the mexicans in the US live under
  poverty, affecting mostly the new arrival men and
  women without documents (CONAPO, 2004).
• Of the 2, 443 counties (municipios) in Mexico,
  only 93 have no immigrants (CONAPO, 2002(Pew,
  2005)

CONAPO, Boletín de prensa Enero 21, 2004 Pew
Hispanic Center, 2005
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Immigration to the U.S. 2

• Most of the new arrival immigrants are younger
  (48 between 18-29 years old) and better educated
  that the Mexican nationals (Pew, 2005)
• Migrants in the U.S. are one of the main sources
  of the countrys income In 2005 Mexico received
  about 20 billion dollar in remittances, this does
  not count the cash they bring nor the money sent
  with family and friends (Banco de Mexico, 2005).
• Approximately 30 of the immigrants earnings
  are sent back to Mexico (Banco de Mexico, 2005)

CONAPO, Boletín de prensa Enero 21, 2004
Banco de México, Enero 2005
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Migration

• Mexico-U.S. migration is a continuous, dynamic
  and circular process responsible for the
  formation of bi-national circuits characterized
  by a constant and permanent exchange of ideas,
  culture, lenguage, values and life-styles between
  the immigrantes already in the host country, and
  those left behind in the country of origin.

Source Salgado de Snyder, V.N., 1999
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The Mexican immigrant in the U.S.

• Immigrants are perpetual mourners because they
  must leave home repeteadly to achieve their
  goals.
• Most immigrants have the conviction that they are
  only temporarily living in the U.S., and that it
  is only a matter of time before they return to
  take up their lives more or less where they left
  off.
• Psychologically speaking for immigrants, Mexico
  and their villages remain part of the psychic
  present, not a lost past.

(Salgado de Snyder V.N. Diaz Guerrero, R., 2003)
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Going North

• The main reason for going north in the absence of
  opportunities to attain their personal goals.
• The most frequent motivation is to improve their
  earnings
• Immigrants aspire to reach a better quality of
  life for themselves and their families through
  their income in dollars.

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Predictors of wellbeing

• Control over important things
• Social support (trust and reciprocity)
• Immigrants are individuals with needs and
  aspirations They are not statistics
• A face and a story behind each number

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The complexity of migration (1)

• Historical factors
• Geographical border 3,200 kms.
• Culrural distance and geographical closeness
• Financial, political, social, epidemiological
  co-dependency between the two countries.

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The complexity of migration (2)

• Push and pull factors
• Reasons and motivations to migrate
• Social networks
• Impact of migration in origin, transit and
  destination
• The institutionalization of migration

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Changes in the migratory patterns

• Phase of circular migration
• Return and settlment
• Rural, men, undocumented
• Geographical concentration in origin and
  destination

• Phase of forced permanency
• Legalization and repression
• Increase of cost and risks
• Lack of circularity and return
• Increase of flux
• Geographical dispersion in origin and destination
• Multicultural and multiclass emigration
• Migration of children, women, elderly, ethnic

Modified from J. Durand, 2005
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The double standard of the undocumented immigrant

• In their communities of origin they are regarded
  as corageous, responsible and hardworking.
• In the countries of final destination,
  undocumented immigrants are considerd as illegal
  alliens and are prosecuted by the authorities
  and discriminated by others.

Source Salgado de Snyder, V.N. et al., 1996
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Crossing the border

• Undocumented crossing of immigrants has increased
  in the most dangerous border areas.
• USBP registers about 282 million crossings a year
• Between 1994 and 2002 more than 1,600 people died
  trying to cross the border.
• The main causes of death in the border are
  hypothermia, dehydration, sun stroke, stinging by
  poisonous insects, animal biting, drowning, car
  accidents and homicides.

U.S. Border Patrol Statistics, enero, 2003.
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Health and migration

• The health of the most vulnerable immigrants
  start deteriorating
• When leaving the hometown
• Continues when crossing the border
• Worsens in the labor market
• Intensification of risks when moving from the
  origin to the destination (women, minors, elderly
  and ethnics)
• The are more likely to face long journeys and
  worse working conditions, barriers to benefits
  and access to health care due to lack of personal
  and social resources.

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Source U.S. Border Patrol Statistics, January,
2003.
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Mexico-U.S. Border in California
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Mexican immigrant caught at the U.S. border
disguised as a car seat
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Photo Google photos, 2006
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Photo Google photos, 2006
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Cemetery in the Mexican border with bodies of
undocumented immigrants
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WOMEN, CHILDREN AND COMMUNITIES LEFT BEHIND
Foto Omar Fonseca, 1989
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Characteristics of rural areas in Mexico

• High rates of unemployment and underemployment.
• Malnutrition.
• High fertility rates.
• Mostly Catholic.
• Traditional gender roles.
• Low levels of education.
• Limited availability of basic services.
• Social control
• Social marker Poverty
• Emigration to the U.S. and urban centers

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Women left behind

• Women have to assume obligations and
  responsabilities that did not have before. In
  addition to their traditional role as wives,
  mothers, housekeepers, and caretakers, they also
  play roles of administrators, heads of household,
  financial providers, decision makers, etc.
• Migration has a similar impact on the mental
  health of those left behind and those who
  migrate.
• In spite of increased levels of psychological
  distress, women are productive members in their
  communities.

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The meaning of immigration in the local rural
communities Going north is part of the local
culture in many Mexican villages, it changes the
perception of space time money geography
the border the modern and the
traditional It changes the perception the
villagers worldview.
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Remittances and family life

• In 2005, México received about 20 billion
  dollars in remittances from the US (Banco de
  México, 2006).
• Remittances make families live in uncertainty,
  are nor received regularly, nor periodically to
  efficiently cover the family's financial needs
  (Salgado de Snyder, 2002).
• When paternal absence translates into remittances
  dn better quality of life for the family, the
  absence is easy to del with (Aguilera, 2003).

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Changes in communities of origin
Substance abuse Those who go to the north
return as drug addicts, they cannot get well. The
youngsters here use mariguana and cocaine, it is
the influence of los norteños I did not drink
before I went to the U.S. but now, I drink almost
every day
Photo Nelly Salgado, 1997
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Modern life styles
I rarely see my children now, since the day they
put videogames in the center square
In this village we now have a place to go
disco dancing
Photo Nelly Salgado, 2005
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School drop-out
In this village they closed the schools because
there were no students. The children work in the
fertilizer factory
Photo Nelly Salgado, 1997
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Feminization of poverty
I am more poor now than when he left to the U.S.
but much worse now I have five children, no
husband, and no money. I have worked very hard to
support my family
Photo Nelly Salgado, 1997
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In this village even the masons appraise and get
paid in dollars
Dollar economy
Photo Nelly Salgado, 1997
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Access to goods and services
Now, all my children can go to school I have
money for uniforms, shoes and school supplies
I bought cattle, and another piece of land. I
also bought a truck for the ranch We live
better now than before, we have food on the table
and then some extra money to spend
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Access to health care
He left when I got pregnant, with the money
he sent I had my baby in a private clinic and had
better care. Now I use the money to buy diapers,
food, medicine We can buy medicines and go
the doctor. Now he is paying the dentist for the
childrens braces (orthodontist)
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Improved quality of life
With the money he sent we now have a microwave
oven, gas stove, a large refrigerator, washer,
two televisions, two stereos, a telephone and
everything to make my work around the house much
easier People look at us with respect,
but some are very jealousYes it makes me feel
very good, I am proud of my husband and his
accomplishments
Prestige
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Photo Nelly Salgado, 1997
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Photo Nelly Salgado, 2005
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Changes in communities of origin
Photo Nelly Salgado, 1997
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Changes in communities of origin
Photo Nelly Salgado, 1997
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Changes in communities of origin
Photo Nelly Salgado, 2005
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Changes in communities of origin
Photo Nelly Salgado, 1997
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Changes in communities of origin
Photo Nelly Salgado, 2005
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THE PARADOX... The main purpose of male
migration to the U.S. is to improve the quality
of life of the family left behind, but this goal
often results in the deterioration of family life
and empoverishment of quality of life for both,
the migrant and his family.
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Risk factors in the U.S.
Overcrowded living conditions Malnutrition High
rates of fertility Illiteracy in English Working
conditions Unemployment / underemployment Low
income Isolation Undocumented stay Prejudice and
discrimination
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RETURN AND SETTLMENT AMONG MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS
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The dilemma of the successful immigrant
Settlement in the United States
Return to their country
The decision to settle in the US or return to the
countrry or origin depends on structural,
cultural, familial and personal factors
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Factors that influence the decision to return

• Human resources
• Social resources
• Material resources
• Economic conditions in the communities of origin
• Macroeconomic conditions in both countries

Source Massey, D.S. y Espinosa, K. 1997.
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Return vs. SettlementIt is all a matter of
perspective

• Studies in Mexico show that most Mexican
  immigrants return to their communities of origin.
• Studies in the U.S. show that most Mexican
  immigrant stay in this country.
• Such controversial findings are intimately
  related to the economic, political and social
  repercussions of the migratory phenomenon in each
  country.
• Migration is not a static phenomenon and cannot
  be seen as a glass that is half full or half
  empty.

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Men get turned off in the North

• Men get turned off in the North, that is
  why they want to go back to Mexico... In Mexico,
  my husband is a completely different person from
  the person he is here. Overthere (Mexico) he acts
  and even talks different, he is a very strict
  man. In Mexico he feels that he is Don Franciso,
  he uses his machismo, he shows it off and is
  proud of it, he uses ranchero clothes, and he has
  a horse. Here he doesnt care, he is not as
  responsible. Overthere he takes things seriously
  not here.

Interview excerpt taken from Espinosa, V.M.
(1998). El dilema del retorno. Mexico El Colegio
de Michoacan, p. 30.

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Why do immigrants return to Mexico?

• ...what makes us go back is a sense of
  community and belonging. I am part of this town,
  (...). This village is ours and we are always
  happy to come back. When you return you can tell
  everyone Look, I am no longer poor, I
  succeeded. There (in the U.S.) you cannot tell
  this to anyone, they all succeed, everyone has a
  home and a car, not here. We all go there with
  the idea of improving, but they dont notice when
  you improve, the ones who notice are people from
  here, that is why we return.

Interview excerpt taken from Espinosa, V.M.
(1998). El dilema del retorno. Mexico El Colegio
de Michoacán, p. 30.