Resumen:
By current estimates, almost 22 million inhabitants of Mexican origin reside
in the United States.1 Behind that impressive figure – equal to 8% of the total
U.S. population and 22% of Mexico’s – lies a complex interplay of relations
between the two countries. These relations have been affected by changes in
migratory patterns and by spectacular rates of growth in the income earned
from selling Mexican labour abroad, which totaled almost US$6 billion in
1999.