Playing cat and mouse at the U.S.-Mexican border

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Criminology
• Migration Studies

Background:

• The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 significantly increased border control and apprehension activities.
• Understanding the impact of apprehension on migrant behavior is crucial for evaluating immigration policies.
• Previous research has not fully explored whether apprehension deters remigration or alters future migration patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of apprehension on undocumented Mexican male migrants' remigration behavior.
• To test hypotheses regarding apprehension's influence on the desired and actual length of stay in the U.S.
• To examine how apprehension affects the frequency of migration for undocumented individuals.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of migration behavior data for undocumented Mexican male migrants.
• Testing hypotheses concerning the impact of apprehension on stay duration and migration frequency.
• Comparative analysis of apprehended versus non-apprehended migration experiences.

Main Results:

• Apprehension does not appear to deter remigration; instead, it may incentivize longer stays in the U.S. during non-apprehended trips.
• Migrants tend to spend shorter periods in Mexico between trips following an apprehension event.
• INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) apprehension policies may be counterproductive, potentially increasing overall migration.

Conclusions:

• Current border control and apprehension policies might be backfiring, leading to unintended consequences.
• Apprehension experiences can alter migrants' future behavior, leading to compensatory strategies like extended U.S. stays.
• Policy evaluation should consider the complex behavioral responses of migrants to enforcement measures.