Posted on 07/09/2005 5:33:03 AM PDT by ConsentofGoverned
MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Despite increasing migration, money sent home to Mexico is almost all spent on bare necessities for migrants' families, with little left over for investment that could create new jobs, according to a government report released Friday. ADVERTISEMENT
Levels of migration and remittances sent home by workers abroad have both risen in recent years, and that growth rate is accelerating, said Elena Zuniga, the head of Mexico's National Population Council
The number of undocumented migrants leaving for the United States grew by 48 percent in the period 1993-1997, 63 percent from 1998 to 2001, and rose by 77 percent from 2001 to 2004, Zuniga said in a news conference at the presidential residence, Los Pinos.
Just as importantly, the amount of time undocumented migrants stay in the United States has grown, from an average of 6.9 months in the 1998-2001 period to 11.2 months between 2001 and 2004. Tighter border controls make it harder for migrants to make shorter, multiple trips.
"The increasingly strict border control ... has the effect of increasing undocumented migration and turning it into a more permanent migration," Zuniga said.
U.S. and Mexican officials had long hoped that that rising tide could help develop businesses in Mexico so people wouldn't have to emigrate.
Treasury officials say remittances grew to US$16.6 billion (euro13.9 billion) in 2004, a 24 percent increase over 2003 and second only to Mexico's oil income. State and federal officials have designed programs to encourage investment by migrants.
But a new study by the population council shows the average amounts sent home are so small they basically buy only food, clothing and health care.
Less than 10 percent of remittances are used for investment or savings, the study found.
"This spending, in reality, constitutes an investment in human capital, in health and education, among other areas," the council said.
However, the 1.43 million households that received remittances in 2004 -- about one in every 18 Mexican families -- got an average of only US$2,916 (euro2,332) per year from workers abroad, according to the study.
"These households use the majority of their income from remittances to satisfy basic needs," the report stated.
The report said that, starting with the economic and financial crisis of 1995, growing numbers of families "used migration as a response to the deteriorating living conditions in Mexico."
In 2000, an estimated 355,000 Mexicans migrated to the United States and by 2004 that figure reached 395,000.
The number of households in Mexico receiving remittances has more than doubled since 1994, when only 665,000 families got payments from abroad.
Illegals Impact on loss of $$$ for work "Americans will not do." is not helping Mexican Families but tighter borders is keeping the illegals here,...seems like BS to me
Pure propoganda.
I drove throught the Falfurias Border Patrol checkpoint a couple of days ago and found they had sign up that claimed 119,000+ YTD illegal aliens captured around that checkpoint. We know that for every illegal caught several more get away. If the ratio of those that make it in to those that get caught was only 2:1 that would mean that almost a quarter million have made it in around that checkpoint so far this year. The numbers start adding up real quick.
This is sucking our economy dry. Plus overloading our social services.
No it isn't. It's sustaining our economy and making it possible for us to have social services.
If there were not a demand for foreign workers they wouldn't be coming here. They are replacing some of the forty million American workers who have been aborted since Roe v Wade.
We are at full employment now. Unless we get more employees American companies will have to close down, outsource or relocate over seas.
Look in the jobs section of a major city newspaper and then tell me that someone who really wants a job can't find one.
I know 2 older women right now who can't find employment. You're spouting liberal revisionism.
Mexico has more "Forbes" billionaires, 11, than all but eight other nations. It has more billionaires than Saudi Arabia, Switzerland or Taiwan. It also has more than 85,000 millionaires.
According to a CNN report, Mexico sits on oil reserves worth about $400 billion, but Mexico's state-owned oil company, Pemex, doesn't have the investment funds to tap those reserves, and Mexico's Congress refuses to allow foreign investment in Pemex.
According to Visa International--which is now clamoring for a share of the transfer fees--American money sent South of the Border by illegals constitutes $38 BILLION this year alone constituting Mexico's second largest most profitable industry.
America should mandate proof for all cash transfers out of the US and/or force all transferring agencies -- banks, credit unions, Amex, Western Union to collect a substantial withholding tax -- 50%, say -- on every unexplained foreign remittance.
America needs to seal our borders and let Vincente Fox know that we will cut off every penny in aid he gets from the United States.
The unmitigated contempt for America, and working-class Americans cannot go unchallenged.
So your solution is to deport undocumented construction workers? Do those two elderly women want to do roofing and concrete work? How about garbage collection? Are illegals keeping then from getting jobs as garbage collectors? Picking melons? Repairing automobiles? Mowing lawns?
Why don't you suggest to your friends that they apply at Walmart to be greeters? Or will they only settle for a job that illegals do? If so, lots of people would love to have babysitters who speak English and have drivers licenses.
I bet your friends are the type who won't do the jobs that immigrants have to come here to do.
Mexico's already touting 'integration' with the US, and if that plan hits a bump in the road, then they'll demand direct payments from the US govt. for the use of Mexican workers, whose human rights are being violated daily. Jesse could give them a few lessons in extortion.
The future of North America is an integrated Mexico with USA - perhaps this is the goal of which no one in power will speak -YET.
Much like - Puerto-Rico, commonwealth island's of south pacific..Mexi/USA is a political answer that would provide benefits to both,,but is it the goal of todays leaders?
the results of MexiUSA would be major and the implications are unknowable..Our founding fathers vision of America could be expanded to include those in Mexico as we did with California and Texas and other border states in last 2 centuries.
I can tell you exactly why. Buchanan/Tancredo do not want the issue to be closed through Congressional action. They want to keep the issue on the table through 2008 so they can use it to milk as much money out of the suckers as they can.
So they have set up a precondition before they will even consider any legislation. The precondition is one that is impossible to be met. So they will tie any bills up in committees just like the Democrat Senators are doing with Bush's judicial nominees. The members of Tancredo's immigration caucus are among the least respected members of Congress.
"the answers to immigration is to have a system to allow what the country needs while providing for secure borders - WHY IS THAT NOT ADDRESSED BY WASHINGTON?? any reasonable answers to that one??"
How do we figure out how many we need? Whats the magic number?
Tough question. As it stands, the more that enter, the more we "need".
IMO, we have surpassed that magic number by many times.
Close the border now, assess the number we need and send the rest back to their homeland.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.