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Four reasons why illegal immigration across the US-Mexico border has dropped

From 1970 to 2010, more than 10 million Mexicans migrated to the US. Now, after decades of rising numbers immigrating to the US, a new demographic trend is playing out: illegal immigration is waning. Many dispute the reason why. Here are four factors that play a role.

A better Mexican economy

  • By Sara Miller Llana Staff writer

Most Mexicans say they would actually prefer to stay home. If they could find viable jobs in Mexico, they would gladly work in them.

Now, there is some indication that a brighter economic reality for Mexico has meant less of an incentive to leave. The New York Times recently quoted experts on both sides of the border showing that a rise in wages in Mexico, and greater access to education, has meant that generations of Mexicans no longer see a stint in the US as a “rite of passage.”

Others dismiss this as a reason. The prospect of wages far higher than what they earn at home has always been a mighty pull to the US. About one fifth of Mexicans still live in extreme poverty, and 50 percent of the population is considered poor. With a population of 113 million, that is a lot of potential economic migrants.

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