UNITED-STATES-POLICY AND MEXICAN MIGRATION TO THE UNITED-STATES, 1942-92

Objective. This paper examines the relationship between U.S. policy an d Mexican immigration to the United States. Methods. Information from migrants in 17 Mexican communities about their first U.S. trip is used to examine whether and how changes in U.S. immigration policy corresp ond to trends among migrant cohorts from Mexico. Results. The analysis reveals three patterns of migration. The first large-scale flow of Me xicans occurred between 1942 and 1964, when many men migrated for agri cultural employment under a U.S.-sponsored temporary worker program. B y the program's end, the second phase of migration emerged. Former bra ceros who obtained legal papers sponsored their relatives for entry, w hile others entered illegally. The third pattern of migration began in the late 1970s, when women migrated in large numbers without children , and the migration of men and women who entered on a first trip witho ut legal documents soared. Conclusions. While the relationship between policy and behavior is complex, three mechanisms may be responsible f or the observed trends. Together with the results, they raise question s for future research.