Undocumented Mexicans in the USA

by David M. Heer

Overview

In the past two decades, a tide of Mexican immigrants has settled illegally in the United States, and undocumented Mexicans today constitute an important component of the U.S. population. Yet due to their illegal status, information about the actual numbers of undocumented Mexicans, their living conditions, and the impact of their illegal status on their lives has been difficult to gather. In this book, the author analyzes the results of a unique survey conducted in Los Angeles County, where an estimated forty-four percent of the undocumented Mexican population lives. This survey allows the author to make explicit comparisons among groups of illegal and legal Mexican immigrants and to analyze the effects of their legal status on their living conditions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521382472
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	11/30/1990
Series:	American Sociological Association Rose Monographs
Pages:	246
Product dimensions:	6.22(w) x 9.33(h) x 0.75(d)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments; 1. Introduction; 2. Mexican immigration to the United States: determinants and trends; 3. Undocumented Mexican immigrants: numbers, geographic distribution, and social consequences; 4. Alternative ways of surveying the undocumented and some results; 5. How the Los Angeles County parents data were obtained; 6. The validity of data on legal status; 7. A comparison of the social characteristics of undocumented immigrants, legal immigrants, and US natives of Mexican origin; 8. A comparison of the economic characteristics of undocumented immigrants, legal immigrants, and US natives of Mexican origin; 9. Characteristics of one individual compared to characteristics of another family member; 10. A multivariate analysis of the impact of legal status on the hourly wage, hours worked per year, and annual earnings; 11. Policy options and their likely consequences; Notes; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"David M. Heer's Undocumented Mexicans in the United States is a valuable book; it tells the reader everything he or she wants to know about immigration studies. It also gives an excellent synthesis of immigration legislation and its impact on Mexicans crossing the Rio Bravo." Pacific Historical Review

"...a bold attempt to collect data on the undocumented population in Los Angeles, and it may usefully be read and interpreted as an interesting and prominent case study. Moreover, it should be mandatory reading for those contemplating collecting their own survey data. The discussion of the research design is clear, well organized, and meticulous in its attention to detail, and it it is full of fascinating insights into not only the various steps but also some of the potential pitfalls that one encounters in designing a survey." Thomas J. Espenshade, Contemporary Sociology

"...a useful book... [an] excellent summary of prior research... The result is an excellent study in depth of undocumented Mexicans in Los Angeles...perhaps the most detailed and thorough one of undocumented Mexicans in California." Labor History

From the Publisher