In 2007 I traveled to rural Mexico with the Puentes/Bridges Program. In February 2008 I shared my experience at a Southern Wisconsin Rural Imigration Summit.
16. The Farmer’s Story
WI farmers needed additional workers
Hesitant to hire Mexican employees
at first
Employees provide documentation
Pay is $10/hour
Now farms rely on Mexican employees
Hispanics made up about 40% of all U.S.
agricultural workers in 2005. (Census Bureau)
17. The Mexican’s Story
Difficult to make a
living in Mexico.
Benefits of working in
the US are obvious.
Workers typically want
to return to Mexico
Becoming more difficult
to cross the border
More likely to move
family to the US
19. Patrone
Father figure
Usually a man
Upper middle class
The person who distributes the pay
Someone you have to “obey”
20. Expectations of a Patrone
Mexican employees expect to work
hard, but they expect help, protection
and support when they need it.
– Attend family gatherings if invited
– Take employee to the doctor
– If necessary, help employee get out of
trouble
25. Crossing the Border
Cost about $5,000 to $8,000 dollars
Borrow money from community members
Hire a “coyote” or smuggler to get
across the border
Nearly 500 die
crossing the
border each year
Expected to help
the next person
26. Crossing the Border
Main causes of death at the border:
– Hypothermia
– Dehydration
– Sun stroke
– Stinging by poisonous insects
– Drowning
– Car Accidents
– Homicide
US Border Patrol Statistics
27. Unauthorized Immigrant Population
11,550,000 unauthorized immigrants
residing in US (arrived 1980-2006)
– 8.4 million from North America
– 1.4 million from Asia
– 1.0 million from South America
– 0.5 million from Europe
Department of Homeland Security
28. Duel Identity
InMexico these
employees are seen
as as providers,
responsible and
hardworking
InUS they are
seen as illegal.
Salgado de Synder, 1996