Beyond Borders

The issue of undocumented Mexican immigrants evokes constant debate within the spheres of politics, the economy, and the media. However, Mexican immigration to the United States--both legal and illegal--is not a new phenomenon and has been a contentious issue for at least a century. Beyond Borders: A History of Mexican Migration to the United States details the origins and evolution of the conflict from the first significant flow across the border at the turn of the twentieth century until the present day. Viewing the issue from both the Mexican and U.S. perspectives, the author reveals the variety of complex social, economic, and policy shifts that drive migrants across the border. Henderson examines the early relations between the U.S. and Mexico, and also traces the critical events and incentives that contributed to the flow of Mexicans northward: a voracious demand for cheap labor in the U.S. in the early 1900s for railroad building, mining, and farming; changes to U.S. immigration law in the 1920s that restricted migration from Europe, Asia, and Africa; the "bracero" program instituted by the U.S. to fill labor shortages brought about by World War II; and migratory patterns resulting from U.S. policies in the 1960s through to the enactment of NAFTA in 1994. Beyond Borders: A History of Mexican Migration to the United States provides the reader with a deep appreciation and understanding of a complex issue whose roots are far more intertwined than many realize.