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Discussing the Validity of a Guest Worker Program in the United States

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Discussing the Validity of a Guest Worker Program in the United States Discussing the validity of a guest worker program in the United States Melissa Mac Neil Department of Political Science and Department of Foreign Languages and Literature, College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. David Hartman Department of Anthropology, College of Public Affairs and Community Service. Abstract As border and immigration policy is a contentious political and social issue, it is important to consider a wide range of solutions. Actual people are being affected by these policies, but there has yet to be a viable guest worker program presented by policy makers. This paper addresses the possibility of a successful guest worker program by combining evidence gathered through interviews with former migrant workers with analysis of immigration law in the United States since 1965, analysis of guest worker programs in Europe and Canada, and analysis of the effects of the political and economic situation between the US and Mexico. The research indicates that successful implementation would require the allowance of remittances, an extensive public education program, and bilateral agreements between the US and Mexico. Although my research addresses the issue of a program specifically linked to Mexico, the results provide the framework for comprehensive immigration reform in the US. Introduction • Gaining perspective on • Topics the issue of immigration – Methodology in the United States – Literature Review – Data • The border as a – Results contentious issue – Conclusions • Human consequences of the lack of guest worker policy Methodology • Field study conducted in Tapalpa, Jalisco, México – Questionnaire • 27 questions • IRB approval – 11 informants • 6 males • 5 females – Opinions of migrants about current and Historic Haciena Inns. 2008. Retrieved on March 31st, proposed policy 2008 from http://historichaciendainns.com/practical- info-jalisco-mexico.html. Literature Review • General Migratory Trends • History of US Migration Law since 1965 • Other countries and migration • Lessons provided by Guest Worker Programs • Situation between the US and Mexico • Prospects for Guest Worker Policy Data • Information about the • Findings concerning municipality of the type of work Tapalpa performed by migrants • Migratory trends in the area and kinship • Reasons for migration ties • Reasons for return • Social capital and the development of networks Results: Planning Guest Worker Policy • Importance of pre- • Effective enforcement of established networks laws by US Immigration • Inconclusive numbers but and Customs the best data has been Enforcement (Magana, for 1997, approximately 2003). 324,000 to 440,000 • Facilitation of low cost migrants (Hill and Wong, remittance program 2005.) (Tancredo, 2005.) • Bilateral nature of any • Internet as a recruitment agreement and public education tool – Facilitates worker returns (Abell, Kuptsch, & Martin, • Align worker and 2006.) employer incentives • Incorporate workers into (Abell, Kuptsch, & Martin, the service sector 2006.) Conclusions • In order to be viable a • Limitations and necessity guest worker program for further research must… – Incorporate lessons from European/Canadian guest worker programs. – Not make the mistake of substituting a guest worker program for immigration reform. – Create provisions to allow remittances, public education, bilateral cooperation, address realities of migration networks. References • Abell, M., Kuptsch, C., & Martin, P. (2006). Managing Labor Migration in the Twenty-First Century. New Haven: Yale University Press. • Asumah, S., & Bradley, M. (2001). Making Sense of US Immigration Policy and Multiculturalism. Western Journal of Black Studies, 25(2), 82-92. • Basok, T. (2000). He came, he saw, he...stayed: Guest worker programmes and the issue of non-return. International Migration, 38(2), 215-236. • Bernstein, A., & Weiner, M. (1999). Migration and Refugee Policies: An Overview. Herndan VA: Pinter Publishers Ltd. • Bickerton, M.E. (2001). Prospects for a bilateral immigration agreement with Mexico: Lessons from the Bracero Program. Texas Law Review, 79(4), 895- 919. • Bischoff, H. (2001). Immigration Issues. New York: Greenwood Press. • Duignan, P., & Gann, L. (1997). The Debate in the United States over Immigration (Hoover Institution Press Publication, 444.). Palo Alto: Hoover Institution Press. • Epstein, G., Hillman, A., & Weiss, A. (1999). Creating Illegal Immigrants. Journal of Population Economics, 12(1), 3-21. • Escobar, A., Martin, P., Schatzer, P., & Martin, S. (2003). Mexico-US Migration: Moving the agenda forward. International Migration, 41(2), 125-137. • Fernandez-Kelly, P., & Massey, D. (2007). Borders for Whom? The Role of NAFTA in Mexico-US migration. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 610, 98-118. • Gilbert, E. (2007). Leaky Borders and solid citizens: Governing security, prosperity, and quality of life in a North American Partnership. Antipode, 39(1), 77-98. • Hayes, H. (2001). U.S. Immigration Policy and the Undocumented: Ambivalent Laws, Furtive Lives. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Paperback. • Hill, K., & Wong, R. (2005). Mexico-US migration: Views from both sides of the border. Population and Development Review, 31(1), 1-18. • Hofstetter, R. (1984). U.S. Immigration Policy (Duke Press policy studies). Durham: Duke Univ Pr (Tx). • Jacobson, D. (1998). Immigration Reader: America in a Multidisciplinary Perspective. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers. • Magaña, L. (2003). Straddling the Border: Immigration Policy and the INS. Austin: University of Texas Press. • Mahler, S. (1995). American Dreaming. Princeton: Princeton University Press. • Martin, P., & Straubhaar, T. (2002). Best Practices to Reduce Migration Pressures. International Migration, 40(3), 5-23. • Martin, P., & Teitelbaum, M. (2001). The Mirage of Mexican guest workers. Foreign Affairs, 80(6), 117-131. • Massey, D., Durand, J., & Malone, N. (2002). Beyond Smoke and Mirrors: Mexican Immigration in an Era of Economic Integration. New York: Russell Sage Foundation Publications. • Miller, E., & Miller, R. (1996). United States Immigration: A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues). Santa Barbara: Abc-Clio Inc. • O'Rourke, A. (2006). Embracing Reality: The guest worker program revisited. Harvard Latino Law Review, 9, 179-194. • Quirk, M. (2007, Apr.). The Mexican Connection. Atlantic Monthly, 299, 26-27. • Scharf, D.A. (2006). For humane borders: Two decades of death and illegal activity in the Sonoran Desert. Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law, 38(1), 141-172. • Serrano, J. (2002). La dimension cultural de las remesas: Los tapalpenses y su comunidad transnacional (Masters Thesis, Unidad Occidente, 2002). • Stack, T. (2002). Places that have history: The public knowledge of Mexican towns (Doctorial dissertation, University of Pennsylvania, 2002) • Tancredo, T. (2005). Cui Bono? The case for an honest guest worker program. Texas Review of Law and Politics, 10(1), 63-83. Acknowledgements • Dr. Hartman, first and foremost, for his help, input, and support, especially during my month in Mexico. • Dr. Eve and Dr. Cox for their encouragement and enthusiasm. • Profesora Concepción Martínez for her help in translating and proofing the Spanish versions of my questionnaire. • Dr. Trevor Stack for his input on my questionnaire. • The staff at Centro Integración de Tapalpa, A.C. for creating opportunities to meet people, especially women, in the community. • A las personas que tenían confianza y compartieron sus historias y sus ideas a una extranjera. .
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