Immigration: Studies of the Immigration Control Act's Impact on Mexico : Briefing Report to the Honorable Dennis DeConcini, U.S. Senate

This report describes research on the impact of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA), Public Law 99-603, on Mexico's economy and social structure. The purpose of IRCA is to control illegal immigration to the United States, and a key provision makes it illegal for employers to knowingly hire or continue to employ undocumented aliens. Since enforcement of employer sanctions began in June 1987, it is too soon to clearly identify and measure IRCA's effects. In addition, researchers differ as to the best method for measuring the flow of undocumented Mexican workers to the United States, and there is a lack of pre-IRCA baseline data on the Mexican economy and social structure. A meaningful assessment of IRCA's impact on Mexico requires a coordinated research effort by Mexico and the United States. Appendix I contains a map identifying the Mexican states which are the chief source of emigration, and it summarizes research covering: (1) history and characteristics of Mexican migration to the United States; (2) major impacted areas in the two countries; (3) characteristics of Mexican migrants; (4) numbers of undocumented migrants; and (5) IRCA's possible impact on Mexico's economy and labor force, and on the level of private remittances from the United States to Mexico. Appendix II is a 91-item annotated bibliography.