Continuities and Changes in the Processes of Mexican Migration and Return

• Author: Emilio A. Parrado,Angie N. Ocampo
• Published date: 01 July 2019
• Date: 01 July 2019
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/0002716219857565

212 ANNALS, AAPSS, 684, July 2019

DOI: 10.1177/0002716219857565

Continuities

and Changes in

the Processes of

Mexican

Migration and

Return

By

EMILIO A. PARRADO

and

ANGIE N. OCAMPO

857565ANN THE ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMYContinuities and Changes in Mexican Migration and Return

research-article2019

This article examines continuities and changes in the

prevalence and determinants of first migration and

return between Mexico and the United States. The

results show a dramatic decline over time in the likeli-

hood of migrants’ making a first trip. The empirical

design distinguishes processes affecting migrating

cohorts from those emanating from period conditions,

paying particular attention to changes in educational

selectivity and the legal status of the flows. The defini-

tion of cohort and period corresponds roughly to

changes in U.S. migration policy and the American

economy. We find that the likelihood of return migra-

tion also declined in conjunction with period conditions

that are related to border enforcement. The drop in the

likelihood of return was particularly sharp for undocu-

mented migrants, and, over time, return flows increas-

ingly consist of documented migrants. The implications

of these findings for immigration policy in the United

States and for the incorporation of returnees in Mexico

are discussed.

Keywords: immigration; return migration; selectivity;

legal status; cohort; period

Despite being a prominent feature of migra-

tion flows, return migration has not

received the detailed attention it deserves. This

lack of attention is applicable both to historical

European flows to the Americas, as well as to

contemporary migration from Latin America to

the United States and other foreign destina-

tions. Understanding the dynamics of departure

Correspondence: aocampo@sas.upenn.edu

Emilio Parrado is the Dorothy Swaine Thomas Professor

of Sociology and chair of the Department of Sociology

at the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses

on Latinos in the United States, particularly issues

of immigrant adaptation and new settlement areas,

the determinants and consequences of international

migration for health and family outcomes in sending

and receiving regions, and the social demography of

societal change in Latin America.