Internal Migration of Mexicans in the United States, 1990 and 2000

Wenquan (Charles) Zhang, Brown University

This study examines the relationship between internal migration of Mexicans and their assimilation progress. Using micro data from Census 1990 and 2000, I examine three main questions. First, what kinds of people are more likely to be migrants? Second, what are the mobility consequences of internal migration? Third, how do individual attributes affect contextual mobility through migration? The general hypothesis is that immigrant group members with better individual characteristics are more capable of taking advantage of migration in order to achieve further spatial and economic mobility. This hypothesis is, by and large, confirmed by findings from comparative studies of data from two Census periods. They point to similar patterns in which immigrants with greater individual attributes have higher migration propensity. In addition, these immigrants are more likely to achieve upward mobility in terms of changes in contextual conditions. Therefore, internal migration is most likely another important venue that facilitates assimilation among immigrants.