[rmnunez]

The 28 million Mexicans living in the US are not only an important source of income for Mexico as they sent $23 billion in remitances to their families in 2006, they have also acquired importance in the industrial restructuring of the US. Raúl Delgado, from the (International Migration and Development Network), said “if we take into account the maquiladoras which are like extensions of US assembly lines with lower wages, then 20% of manufacturing workers in the US is a Mexican, this gives an idea of their importance in that restructuring.

What is this "industrial restructuring"? I've heard of the outsourcing, and competition from cheaper paying foreign manufacturers has shut down lots of factories. Environmental protections and safeguards at the work site have driven lots of industries out of business and now the US economy is much more service-oriented.

The importance of this labor force is proportionate to the economic and social harms resulting to Mexico from migration. Based on research, at least 800 towns across Mexico suffer from negative growth rates due to migration to the north. The UN estimates a tenth of the population in the northern Mexican states is immigrant.

Yes, this is a problem ignored to the north, the united statians can't see the adverse effects all these immigrants have at home; kids raised by their mothers without a male role model, living in the uncertainty of a distant and precarious provider constantly threatened with deportation.

Though the efforts to stem migration by the Mexican government must be recognized, there are pending matters, from the conditions in the south promoting migration to the laws which constrain development there. Juan Artola, frrom the International Organization for Immigration found “Mexican immigration legislation is antiquated and in the opinion of many needs review.”

Yes, we've got an immigration problem in Mexico too. The southern border is like the northern one but concentrated; the river is smaller and the crossing points more closely together. Guatemalans and other Central Americans make their way north in great danger.

To use valuable, skilled, qualified and experienced Mexican human resources in the US, private institutions and non-governmental organizations are compiling information on immigration in Mexico and elsewhere to develop a database to help implement programs and projects with, for and by immigrants. “What is happening is that the issue of immigration is a bit behind other issues due to the absence of public data and the lack of similarity in data compiled by different countries”, Jorge Sicilia, from BBVA Bancomer’s American Economic Studies said. During the (International Conference on Immigration and Development), to be held in Mexico City February 14-16 where participants will share and have access to all the data gathered. Sistema e-once noticias Internet