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Beyond Smoke and Mirrors: Mexican Immigration in an Era of Economic Integration
Migration between Mexico and the United States is part of a historical process of increasing North American integration. This process acquired new momentum with the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994, which lowered barriers to the movement of goods, capital, services, and information. But rather than include labor in this new regime, the United States continues to resist the integration of the labor markets of the two countries. Instead of easing restrictions on Mexican labor, the United States has militarized its border and adopted restrictive new policies of immigrant disenfranchisement. Beyond Smoke and Mirrors examines the devastating impact of these immigration policies on the social and economic fabric of the Mexico and the United States, and calls for a sweeping reform of the current system.
Beyond Smoke and Mirrors shows how U.S. immigration policies enacted between 1986–1996—largely for symbolic domestic political purposes—harm the interests of Mexico, the United States, and the people who migrate between them. The costs have been high. The book documents how the massive expansion of border enforcement has wasted billions of dollars and hundreds of lives, yet has not deterred increasing numbers of undocumented immigrants from heading north. The authors also show how the new policies unleashed a host of unintended consequences: a shift away from seasonal, circular migration toward permanent settlement; the creation of a black market for Mexican labor; the transformation of Mexican immigration from a regional phenomenon into a broad social movement touching every region of the country; and even the lowering of wages for legal U.S. residents. What had been a relatively open and benign labor process before 1986 was transformed into an exploitative underground system of labor coercion, one that lowered wages and working conditions of undocumented migrants, legal immigrants, and American citizens alike.
Beyond Smoke and Mirrors offers specific proposals for repairing the damage. Rather than denying the reality of labor migration, the authors recommend regularizing it and working to manage it so as to promote economic development in Mexico, minimize costs and disruptions for the United States, and maximize benefits for all concerned. This book provides an essential "user's manual" for readers seeking a historical, theoretical, and substantive understanding of how U.S. policy on Mexican immigration evolved to its current dysfunctional state, as well as how it might be fixed.
Beyond Smoke and Mirrors shows how U.S. immigration policies enacted between 1986–1996—largely for symbolic domestic political purposes—harm the interests of Mexico, the United States, and the people who migrate between them. The costs have been high. The book documents how the massive expansion of border enforcement has wasted billions of dollars and hundreds of lives, yet has not deterred increasing numbers of undocumented immigrants from heading north. The authors also show how the new policies unleashed a host of unintended consequences: a shift away from seasonal, circular migration toward permanent settlement; the creation of a black market for Mexican labor; the transformation of Mexican immigration from a regional phenomenon into a broad social movement touching every region of the country; and even the lowering of wages for legal U.S. residents. What had been a relatively open and benign labor process before 1986 was transformed into an exploitative underground system of labor coercion, one that lowered wages and working conditions of undocumented migrants, legal immigrants, and American citizens alike.
Beyond Smoke and Mirrors offers specific proposals for repairing the damage. Rather than denying the reality of labor migration, the authors recommend regularizing it and working to manage it so as to promote economic development in Mexico, minimize costs and disruptions for the United States, and maximize benefits for all concerned. This book provides an essential "user's manual" for readers seeking a historical, theoretical, and substantive understanding of how U.S. policy on Mexican immigration evolved to its current dysfunctional state, as well as how it might be fixed.
216 pages, Paperback
First published March 14, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 14, 2020
I was first introduced to this book by way of its second chapter in an immigration course. I then reread that chapter for my quals. At that point, I decided reading the whole book would do me good, and I think that's the case.
The figures, data, and economic analysis in the first 4 chapters of this book do well to contextualize the economy of Mexican-American immigration. Each chapter is viewed through the lens of some stage of being a "machine" - whether in putting it together, examining its breaking down, or how to repair.
It's the repair manual, the end, the conclusion, that I take issue with. Not because I think the authors were wrong - in the 90s, if their recommendations had been heeded, then perhaps the humanitarian disaster of the border could have been avoided. But they weren't and it can't. We can no longer recommend a middle ground for economic integration, but an abolishment of borders, a full redress, for the sake of reparations for the success of a machine that was in fact, a machine of war and genocide.
The figures, data, and economic analysis in the first 4 chapters of this book do well to contextualize the economy of Mexican-American immigration. Each chapter is viewed through the lens of some stage of being a "machine" - whether in putting it together, examining its breaking down, or how to repair.
It's the repair manual, the end, the conclusion, that I take issue with. Not because I think the authors were wrong - in the 90s, if their recommendations had been heeded, then perhaps the humanitarian disaster of the border could have been avoided. But they weren't and it can't. We can no longer recommend a middle ground for economic integration, but an abolishment of borders, a full redress, for the sake of reparations for the success of a machine that was in fact, a machine of war and genocide.
January 2, 2025
This is a great book that is based on research papers regarding the Mexican immigration trends in the U.S. within the 20th century. Even though it does not include the past 20 years, it is still a great foundational book to help give context to why we are where we are today regarding the Mexican/U.S. border. Most of the key solutions given in the book would make a major difference for the U.S. economy and remove much of the undocumented migration. Though, the hindrances for this tends to lie on stoking fears for political votes rather than looking for key solutions.
March 20, 2025
dated, but provides important historical context in understanding how our immigration system got to where it is today.
May 11, 2025
read for class: 3.5
so informative but so god damn stats heavy
so informative but so god damn stats heavy
April 10, 2012
This book is very clear and well-written, and if you are into this sort of thing, I think it is a very good book. Saying that, I didn't like it because I'm not interested in Immigration. It was interesting, though. I'm surprised at how badly America managed to screw up the natural flow of immigration patterns. Because of reading this book, I am convinced that we need to reform our immigration policies, because the way we are doing it now is ludicrous.
January 8, 2022
This is a really good book that looks at the history of Mexican immigration to the US throughout the twentieth century. What I really appreciate is that it includes policy and legal statements, graphs, charts, and extremely detailed statistics, yet it does all of this in a way that is easy to follow and actually interesting (i.e. your eyes won't glaze over, I promise!). Relatively short but very informative!
August 4, 2008
A great introduction to the history and problems with US immigration policy and Mexican migration. The authors have a unique sample-probably the best example to answer the questions they ask- though it's beset with a few problems of representation and size. Still a compelling argument rich with detail.
August 1, 2015
Since the first day the United States formed, illegal immigration was pretty much ignored and in a lot of cases encouraged and tolerated by the public, business and government. This book asserts the present perceived border crisis and invasion panic is a manufactured political device.
March 22, 2008
this book is a must-read about the history of mexico-US immigration. not a page turner (the writing is really not very engaging), but important and well-researched.
May 4, 2023
A decent work of policy, combining rational political science models with solid historical analysis.
April 22, 2012
Incredibly helpful. I highly recommend to anyone wanting to learn more about immigration.
April 24, 2015
A great resource on immigration.
September 11, 2016
Well written book and easy to understand.
January 29, 2016
Best single book on the immigration issue. Very well researched & documented.
April 16, 2017
I'm convinced
If we assume the data is correct, I think these authors have made a compelling argument for a more rational, kind immigration system with Mexico. While I would be in favour of a North American borderless zone, I understand that would not be acceptable to many.
This is a clearly written, methodical discussion of immigration on the southern border, and would highly recommend.
If we assume the data is correct, I think these authors have made a compelling argument for a more rational, kind immigration system with Mexico. While I would be in favour of a North American borderless zone, I understand that would not be acceptable to many.
This is a clearly written, methodical discussion of immigration on the southern border, and would highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews