Реферат: The History Of Mexican Immigration Essay Research

place along this strip representing a city is the infamous Tijuana. Every year 43 million people pass through its legal

port of entry.

Most illegal immigrants are men in their late teens to early 20’s, although in the past few years it has become common

to spot whole families making the trip. Some make the trip many times in their lives, going back and forth. They make a

little money and take this money back to their homeland. These men are known as Nortenos (Northerners). They are

somewhat feared, and somewhat honored upon returning to their villages from the states.

Illegal aliens come up with many different ways to enter the United States. “On a hot summer day they like to put on

bathing suits . . . and swim to shore. They wade through raw sewage in the Tijuana River. They jam themselves into car

trunks and into boxcars, and they ride across the border spread-eagled on the top of freight trains. The boldest ones

merely sprint through the backed-up traffic at the port of entry, defying the Border Patrol to chase them” (Barich 52).

Approximately five thousand illegals pass through la frontera every 24 hours. “The San Diego Border Patrol captures

around 1,500 people every day, 470,000 illegals were captured by the San Diego Border Patrol in 1990″ (Barich 52).

Those who are caught are sent back to Mexico and most likely will make another attempt at the border in the future.

Those who get by the border patrol will go on and try to find work or their families who have already crossed the border.

Others will go to Oregon and Washington to pick apples or work close to sea if work is not plentiful or available in

California.

Another way of getting across the border is through the coyote system. A person will usually pay between three and

seven hundred dollars to a coyote who will guide them across the border. This guide is part entrepreneur, part

extortionist. The coyote will leave the immigrants if pressed by the Border Patrol. The coyote is also known for keeping

unsuspecting illegal immigrants hostage, and only letting them go if their family comes up with ransom. The coyote

business thrives at the border and makes life that much worse there.

Also sometimes used to cross the border is the help of an experienced illegal. This person has crossed the border many

times and agrees to let another illegal tag along on his next journey across the border for a small fee. This type of

person is hard to come by for most. Typically to find such a person you must know someone who knows someone else who

is trustworthy enough to lead the way. Others do not like tag alongs because they might slow them down or get them

caught by the border patrol.

Since 1960 more people have illegally and legally immigrated to United States from Mexico than from any other country

in the world. “In 1900 there were 103,000 Mexicans in the United States. In 1960 there were 2.3 million. In 1990

there were 13.4 million. It is projected that in 2010 there will be 40 million Americans of Latino descent (majority