The Effectiveness of U.S Border and Immigration Policies on Unauthorized Immigrants from Mexico post 9/11 to Obama Administration

     This project analyzes the effectiveness of the U.S. border security enforcement and immigration reforms on unauthorized migration from Mexico. The findings are two-fold: data of undocumented migration/apprehension from... [ view full abstract ]

     This project analyzes the effectiveness of the U.S. border security enforcement and immigration reforms on unauthorized migration from Mexico. The findings are two-fold: data of undocumented migration/apprehension from Mexico to U.S. in specific time intervals and the immigration laws that correspond to those time frames. Specifically, my research paper includes immigration and deportation rates in the following order: 1) 1980s- 2000: examining the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986 and the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) of 1996 . 2) 2001-2008: examining tougher border security enforcement post 9/11 under Bush. 3) 2008-2014: examining President Barack Obama’s administration to present trends. My paper argues that immigration and border enforcement depends on economic and political conditions. Immigration control is not as effective when political and economic situations are unfavorable on both sides. My research recommends that the US will need to cooperate with Mexico, specifically on economic policy, in order to improve immigration law and policy.