Undocumented Lives

For readers interested in undocumented immigration, especially from Mexico, Minian’s book provides important and necessary historical context for present-day issues. In particular, the book explains how undocumented immigrants were caught in the middle of economic and political policies in the United States and Mexico. As the title implies, the lives of these immigrants are at the heart of the story, including how these much broader systems impacted their individual lives.

This book vividly exposes the human side of Mexican undocumented migration through original oral history interviews, along with songs and letters. It focuses on the 1970s, when the 1965 Hart-Cellar Act was in force and the bracero program had ended. Minian explains how and why the Mexican government tacitly encouraged undocumented migration to the U.S. in this period, and its role in defending the rights of its citizens north of the border.  Most migration from Mexico to the U.S. was circular in this period: around 86% of all entries (made up largely of young men) were offset by departures. The… show more.