Contrary to the old racist wives tale of “They can’t find a job in their country so they come here to take ours”, the Pew Hispanic Center has released a report which points to factors other than unemployment as catalysts for immigration northward:

The vast majority of undocumented migrants from Mexico were gainfully employed before they left for the United States, according to a Pew Hispanic Center report released today. The report suggests that failure to find work at home does not seem to be the primary reason that the estimated 6.3 million undocumented migrants from Mexico have
come to the U.S.

Not surprisingly, the report’s findings reflect the notion that it is more of a “pull” rather than a “push” that’s responsible for immigration to the U.S. That is, an extremely high demand for labor:

The demand for labor appears to play a strong role in shaping the economic
destiny of Mexican migrants. Migrants are concentrated in a handful of
industries — agriculture, hospitality, construction and manufacturing.

The report also details findings on how quickly immigrants transition into their new lifestyles and other patterns, and can be accessed on the Pew web site.

Via / PR Newswire