IMMIGRATION: Latino Migration and U.S. Foreign Policy

Abstract: 

Professor Lisa García Bedolla outlines the history of U.S. foreign policy in Latin America and its influence on migration.

Immigration, particularly Latino migration, has become a hot topic in American politics. In popular discourse, immigration is described as a personal decision made by an individual or family, with little consideration of the macroeconomic context that influences that decision. One important and often overlooked structural constraint related to immigration patterns is U.S. political and economic involvement in the country of origin. This involvement is critically important for understanding Latino migration flows to the United States.

Author: 
Lisa García Bedolla
Publication date: 
January 13, 2009
Publication type: 
Berkeley Review of Latin American Studies Article