by Jorge Zavala
Managing Director
Managing Director
First thing to remember is that we are a country built by immigrants. We are the land of opportunity, and when the U.S. became involved with World War II it was the Mexican workers that saved the U.S. economy while Americans were fighting overseas.
Until 1948, the US had an open-door policy with regards to immigration. It was back then when the relationship between Mexico and the U.S. was excellent. The U.S. has not been always been grateful for the support and assistance during a “man power shortage” Mexico helped with.
As a nation we are rather fickle when it comes to asking for help and what we do. Like in 1948, Americans are now in need of help and what do we do? We beat our wives, we scream at the kids. We blame immigrants for everything without looking at the lack of responsibility that is missing when it comes to businesses that are monopolizing all the money. Government assistance is not always present to facilitate such events.
We forget to acknowledge how good a neighbor Mexico has been. Last year, Mexico did over 400 billion dollars worth of business with the U.S. That’s more than Brazil and Argentina combined. Is this how you treat neighbors?
Even though the decline in undocumented immigration is no surprise, there are several explanations. The U.S. economic is weaker while Mexico’s economy is strengthening. Its growth demographic per capital is 15,000 dollars: a third of what Americans make. Some of Mexico’s competitiveness is due to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Because it avoids U.S. tariffs, Mexico’s exports are cheaper than China’s.
President Obama has spent more on immigration enforcement than his predecessor, George W. Bush. Obama has deported more than 400,000 immigrants in one year. What is surprising, however, is the drop in net legal migration. Obama has disappointed many Mexicans by failing to deliver on immigration reform. Instead, the Department of Homeland Security has spent over 250 million dollars building the nation’s largest fleet of domestic surveillance drones, such as fences, surveillance planes, and personnel. Clearly the Democrats talk about it in a tone that is much more appealing to Mexicans than the way Republicans talk about it. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, the high rate of unemployment has caused Mexicans to return to Mexico.
The Pew Research Center shows we’ve clamped down on undocumented immigration, but it also shows that Mexicans don’t want to come here legally as much as they did before. Perhaps an increase in economic stability and steady jobs have allowed for Mexicans to flourish and remain in Mexico so as to decrease the overall numbers of immigration into the United States. It is actually a mixed picture.
What are we doing when an aging country creates a deficit of workers and a surplus of retirees who spend? Instead of preparing for the future we are trying to demonize undocumented immigrants, and hoping they self-deport. We seem to have forgotten that it is the spirit of acceptance and hospitality that has made America so attractive to legal immigrants for centuries.
Until 1948, the US had an open-door policy with regards to immigration. It was back then when the relationship between Mexico and the U.S. was excellent. The U.S. has not been always been grateful for the support and assistance during a “man power shortage” Mexico helped with.
As a nation we are rather fickle when it comes to asking for help and what we do. Like in 1948, Americans are now in need of help and what do we do? We beat our wives, we scream at the kids. We blame immigrants for everything without looking at the lack of responsibility that is missing when it comes to businesses that are monopolizing all the money. Government assistance is not always present to facilitate such events.
We forget to acknowledge how good a neighbor Mexico has been. Last year, Mexico did over 400 billion dollars worth of business with the U.S. That’s more than Brazil and Argentina combined. Is this how you treat neighbors?
Even though the decline in undocumented immigration is no surprise, there are several explanations. The U.S. economic is weaker while Mexico’s economy is strengthening. Its growth demographic per capital is 15,000 dollars: a third of what Americans make. Some of Mexico’s competitiveness is due to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Because it avoids U.S. tariffs, Mexico’s exports are cheaper than China’s.
President Obama has spent more on immigration enforcement than his predecessor, George W. Bush. Obama has deported more than 400,000 immigrants in one year. What is surprising, however, is the drop in net legal migration. Obama has disappointed many Mexicans by failing to deliver on immigration reform. Instead, the Department of Homeland Security has spent over 250 million dollars building the nation’s largest fleet of domestic surveillance drones, such as fences, surveillance planes, and personnel. Clearly the Democrats talk about it in a tone that is much more appealing to Mexicans than the way Republicans talk about it. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, the high rate of unemployment has caused Mexicans to return to Mexico.
The Pew Research Center shows we’ve clamped down on undocumented immigration, but it also shows that Mexicans don’t want to come here legally as much as they did before. Perhaps an increase in economic stability and steady jobs have allowed for Mexicans to flourish and remain in Mexico so as to decrease the overall numbers of immigration into the United States. It is actually a mixed picture.
What are we doing when an aging country creates a deficit of workers and a surplus of retirees who spend? Instead of preparing for the future we are trying to demonize undocumented immigrants, and hoping they self-deport. We seem to have forgotten that it is the spirit of acceptance and hospitality that has made America so attractive to legal immigrants for centuries.
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