Patterns of U.S. Migration from a Mexican Sending Community: A Comparison of Legal and Illegal Migrants

Abstract

This paper analyzes differences between legal and illegal Mexican migration to the United States as reflected by the migrant population of a rural, mestizo town in Michoacán, Mexico, in which 75 percent of families send migrants north on a periodic basis. Data collected during 1977–78 on a total town population numbering 2,621 inhabitants indicated that immigration stutus plays a key role in determining the size and composition of migrating parties, the duration of time spent away from home, and frequency of movement while in the United States. Compared to illegal migrants, it was found that legal migrants, or holders of U.S. resident visas, tended to migrate in larger groups and were much more likely to be accompanied by wives, children, and non-working dependents. The average period of time spent away from home by legal migrants each year also tended to be significantly less than that of illegals. Finally, legal migrants demonstrated far greater mobility while in the United States than illegals, both in terms of distances traveled and frequency of movement.