Mexican farmers were heavily reliant on the staple crop corn for survival
Many areas of Mexico were remote and had few technological advantages. The edijo land gained by the peasants after the Mexican Revolution in the early Twentieth Century. Many of the land gained was infertile and therefore agricultural development was limited. Being a predominantly Catholic nation, many Mexican parents can have upwards to 8 to 10 children! A large family needs a steady income for survival and unfortunately, the local businesses and agriculture could not bring in enough to make ends meet.
Because of the lack of income families had, it was extremely difficult for families to pick themselves up and move to better areas of Mexico in search of jobs. Those families that could move into urban areas, such as Mexico City, often found that jobs were extremely scarce.
The solution was to send their children up “al Otro Lado”
IRCA (1986)- The Immigrant Reform and Control Act granted amnesty to 3million illegal Mexicans who had been residing within the US before 1982. “Family Unification” allowed those millions to bring in their families from Mexico into the United States.
NAFTA (1994)- The North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement hurt the Mexican economy and left many peasants downtrodden and desperate for a better life. Because of this downturn, many Mexicans emigrated illegally to work in the US.
The Logo of NAFTA. Taken from the USDA website.
