Mexico not only exports avocados, lemons, automotive parts, televisions and refrigerators to various parts of the world, but also does so with talent and skilled and indispensable labor, which is why Mexican immigrants have become indispensable for countries like the United States, being another asset in the economy and culture.
Immigrants currently make up 14.3 percent of the U.S. population, with Mexico being the leading country of birth for American immigrants. In 2022, approximately 10.6 million immigrants living in the United States were born there, representing 23 percent of all American immigrants.
According to the Pew Research Center studyIn 2000, Mexicans were the largest group in 31 states. Today, Mexico remains the leading country of origin for U.S. immigrants, but immigration from Mexico has slowed since 2007 and the Mexican-born population in the United States has declined.
Thus, the proportion of Mexicans in the U.S. immigrant population decreased from 29 percent in 2010 to 23 percent in 2022.
In 2022, approximately 4 million unauthorized immigrants in the United States are Mexican, however, this immigrant population has also decreased.
But what does the labor of all these Mexicans in the United States represent in economic terms?
Mexican immigrants generate annual income of 320 billion dollars in the United States, of which they send more than 60 billion dollars in remittances to Mexico and the remaining amount is reinvested in the economy of the American union, which is four times greater than what they send to their families.
According to a study by the Peterson Institute for International Economics, for every 10 immigrants in the U.S. workforce, between 1 and 2 jobs are created for natives of this nation, highlighting that the lack of this workforce and mass deportations would drain public coffers, in addition to generating illegality and chaos.
For the Wilson Center, Mexican investment in the United States is also of utmost importance, as it creates 123,000 jobs in the country.
But, as if this were not enough, there are many Mexicans in the United States with high specialization. According to studies, there are more than 20 thousand immigrants with doctorates, while 17 percent have a university education.
A study by the Pew Research Center highlights that, regardless of their legal status, Mexican immigrants, for the most part, accept jobs that American citizens do not want.
In 2006, 15.3 percent of the civilian workforce was made up of “foreign-born” workers, or those born outside the United States, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That share is set to hit a record high of 18.6 percent in 2023, easing pressure on the U.S. economy, experts say.
On the other hand, Mexico has become an important arm of the US economy. According to figures from the Mexican Ministry of Economy (SE), the 10 exports with the highest commercial value that Mexico made to the United States in 2023 are: Vehicle parts and accessories, Automobiles, Tractor trucks, Computer equipment, Wires and cables, Tractors, Instruments and devices for medical use, Cell phones, Monitors and projectors, and Electric power controls.
The value of these exports amounts to some 200 billion dollars, almost half the value of everything Mexico sold to the United States.
Thus, 8 out of 10 products manufactured in Mexico are consumed in the United States.
Added to this is the furniture manufacturing industry, which generated 9.4 billion dollars; the food industry, fruits and vegetables, exported 12 billion dollars, while bakeries sent products worth 2.36 billion dollars; but the alcoholic beverage industry is not far behind, with sales totaling almost 3.5 billion dollars.
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