Mexican Adolescent Migration to the United States and Transitions to Adulthood

Abstract

This article contributes to our understanding of how the motivation to migrate varies depending on the stage in the life course, particularly during the youth-to-adult transition. Using data from the Mexican Migration Project, we estimate discrete-time-hazard models of the probabilities of a first migration, using individual, household, community, and macroeconomic variables during and after adolescence for both men and women. We show that the determinants of migration are different for adolescents than they are for adults. While migration-related social capital has proved to be an important factor in increasing and perpetuating migration, we find that its effect is even stronger for teenagers than for other age groups. We also shed light on how adolescent migration is influenced by other major markers of the transition to adulthood, such as education, labor force experience, and family formation.

Father's Labour Migration and Children's School Discontinuation in Rural Mozambique

“…In addition, motivations for and consequences of migration vary across the life course (Zenteno, Giorguli, and Gutiérrez, 2013). For example, labor migration early in an individual’s life (before they have children) may be more oriented to helping their natal families (parents or siblings) or for securing a marriage (Parrado, 2004; Jampaklay, 2006).…”

Vulnerabilidad de jóvenes migrantes en el cruce indocumentado de la frontera México-Estados Unidos

“…En ese sentido, el gran riesgo al que se ven expuestos adolescentes y jóvenes tiene que ver con la importancia socioeconómica y cultural que tiene el proceso migratorio entre los varones de muchas localidades mexicanas. Si bien estas expectativas sociales no pesan sólo sobre los hombres sino también sobre muchas mujeres jefas de hogar, el cruce de las mujeres jóvenes -en particular menores de edad-sigue representando una proporción mínima de los cruces indocumentados y responde a causas más heterogéneas (Zenteno, Giurguli and Gutiérrez;2011).…”

International Migration and the Academic Performance of Mexican Adolescents

“…The influence of family migration on the educational outcomes of students “remaining behind” is critical in Mexico, where the decision to emigrate and to develop other ambitions is strongly influenced by comparable decisions made by parents, other family, and community members (Kandel and Massey 2002). This is especially the case in rural settings in Mexico where outmigration used to be the expectation, particularly for young men (Zenteno, Giorguli, and Gutiérrez 2013). Moreover, Mexico’s education system is stratified in ways that perpetuate social inequality; urban and private schools tend to be much better resourced than public and especially rural and indigenous schools (Reimers 2002; Treviño 2013).…”