Patterns and Determinants of the Interstate Migration of Foreign-born and Native-born Mexicans in the United States, 2011-2015
Abstract
Researchers at the Pew Research Center (PRC) have estimated that immigration will likely cause major changes in the United States distribution of the population, age and ethno/racial composition (2015). My dissertation examines the determinants of interstate U.S. migration for Mexicans who migrated between states during the years of 2011-2015. I analyzed the probability of unauthorized Mexicans to be interstate migrants during the same time period and examined whether punitive migration laws have an effect on the size of the migration streams of foreign born and native-born Mexicans in the U.S. Data from the American Community Surveys were used in both the macro and micro analyses of this dissertation. A proxy was used to estimate the unauthorized population in the micro analysis. Undocumented immigrants have a lower probability of interstate migration. Undocumented immigrants are not only socially, economically, and politically restrained but it appears that they are also physically trapped. For the macro analysis 49 contiguous states (and D.C.) were used, of the 2,352 interstate migrant streams that were identified only 1,317 were viable. The classic gravity model and human ecological model were used for the analysis of migration streams. If the destination state (j) was punitive, there was a positive association with the size of the interstate migration stream of Mexicans. There was not a relationship between punitive state at origin (i) and the size of the migration stream. The human ecological model provided a more sociologically comprehensive explanation of the volume of Mexican migration streams in comparison to the gravity model.
Citation
Menchaca, Angelica Catalina (2018). Patterns and Determinants of the Interstate Migration of Foreign-born and Native-born Mexicans in the United States, 2011-2015. Doctoral dissertation, Texas A & M University. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /174147.