Eastern Michigan University
DigitalCommons@EMU
Senior Honors Theses
Honors College
2012
The "Push" and "Pull" of Mexican Immigrants
Across the United States Border
Kayleigh Del Cotto
Eastern Michigan University
Follow this and additional works at: http://commons.emich.edu/honors
Recommended Citation
Del Cotto, Kayleigh, "The "Push" and "Pull" of Mexican Immigrants Across the United States Border" (2012). Senior Honors Theses.
299.
http://commons.emich.edu/honors/299
This Open Access Senior Honors Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Honors College at DigitalCommons@EMU. It has been
accepted for inclusion in Senior Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@EMU. For more information, please contact [email protected].
The "Push" and "Pull" of Mexican Immigrants Across the United States
Border
Abstract
With the exception of Native Americans, who occupied the vast area that would become the United States, the
Americans of today are of foreign ancestry. Therefore, at a certain point in history, every current United States
citizen had ancestors that immigrated to the "New World" in search of a new, more prosperous way of life.
Unfortunately, in the twenty-first century becoming a citizen of the United States is becoming progressively
more challenging, as undocumented immigrants are being reduced to hardened criminals.
In a poll conducted by the Pew Global Research Center people from several nations of varying backgrounds
expressed their discontent with immigration because they feared the loss of culture and tradition that could
occur as a result of an influx of immigrants ("World Publics Welcome Globalization-But Not Immigration",
2007). These fears by everyday citizens are reflected in many European immigration policies. North
Americans, however, are generally more accepting of immigrants entering their nations because their histories
are based upon immigrant populations. Heightened immigration policies in the United States are a result of
current attempts at immigration reform.
Degree Type
Open Access Senior Honors Thesis
Department
Political Science
First Advisor
Richard Stahler-Sholk
Second Advisor
Edward Sidlow
This open access senior honors thesis is available at DigitalCommons@EMU: http://commons.emich.edu/honors/299