U.S.-Mexico Migration—Prospects for Reform

Hemisphere Focus

Recent evidence points to a dramatic shift in migration patterns involving Mexico, traditionally the United States’ biggest migrant contributor. According to a recent Pew Hispanic Center report, 35 percent of the 10.2 million unauthorized adult immigrants in the United States have been U.S. residents for 15 or more years.1 That figure was 16 percent in 2000, suggesting that the bulk of the unauthorized immigration may have already occurred. If so, the right moment may be approaching for immigration reform.

Michael Graybeal