Research Paper:
How Do We Solve Our Problems? Addressing the Root Causes of Undocumented Immigration Along the U.S./Mexican Border
Abstract: Following the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994, several factors in the United States have led to increased Mexican undocumented immigration. I apply a “push and pull” comparative analysis to examine the United States’ role in driving Mexican people from their land while simultaneously creating incentives to lure them into the United States. Past scholarship has primarily addressed the Mexican domestic factors that contribute to immigration. My research examines the U.S. policies that contribute to Mexican immigration during two key periods: the years preceding NAFTA (1986-1994) and the years following NAFTA (1995-2004). I propose that both NAFTA’s free trade policies along with the U.S. demand for cheap labor have displaced millions of Mexican workers, leaving them little choice but to find work farther North.
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