Beyond Smoke and Mirrors: Mexican Immigration in an Era of Economic Integration

Immigration is a hot and emotional topic at the current time. This excellent book contributes some reason and knowledge to the debate. The authors give clarity by presenting an historical context to Mexican immigration. They base their analysis and policy recommendations on a solid database, using data from the Mexican Migration Project. Yet, all this is done in a very readable style making the book accessible not only to academicians but also to policy makers and the general public. The empirical descriptions and analysis are based on data from the Mexican Migration Project (MMP), a large binational data set that has been collecting detailed information on documented and undocumented Mexicans since 1980. The authors argue that the one constant in U.S. border policy throughout the twentieth century is the hypocrisy of arranging to import Mexicans while pretending not to, seeking ways of “accepting Mexicans as workers while limiting their claims as human beings.” At the same time “the benefits of Mexico-U.S. migration have historically exceeded the costs for all concerned” (p. 105). The book is written like a repair manual, treating the immigration issue as a “complicated piece of socio-economic machinery” and argues that understanding it allows one to intervene appropriately to influence outcomes and improve results (p. 2). The introductory chapter is “Ghost in the Machine: Interventions in the Mexico-U.S. Immigration System,” followed by a chapter that gives a brief outline of immigration theory: “Principles of Operation.” The third chapter, “System Assembly” gives an overview of the history of Mexican immigration to the U.S. from the “Era of Enganche” from 1900 to 1929 when Mexicans were recruited; to the depression era of deportations and diminished inflow; to the Bracero era of 1942 to 1964. They call 1965 to 1985 the “Era of Undocumented Mexicans” in which the Border Patrol would catch some undocumented, giving an illusion of controlling the border, but simply return them to the Mexican side of the border where they could try again. The authors argue that this system worked as de facto guest worker program. Mexicans would come to work, send