Myth vs. Reality: Mexican Immigrants in South Carolina

Myth vs. Reality: Mexican Immigrants

in South CarolinaElaine Lacy, Ph.D.

Professor, USC AikenDirector of Research,

Consortium for Latino Immigration StudiesUSC

Consortium for Latino Immigration StudiesUniversity of South Carolina

Myth # 1: America is Being Overrun with Immigrants

In 1910, 14.7% of the U.S. population was made up of immigrants

In 2005, 12.5% of the U.S. population was made up of immigrants

Historically, our largest immigrant population (Mexican) ebbs and flows based on conditions in Mexico

Today: Mexicans in South Carolina Why are they leaving

Mexico? Why South Carolina? Profiles

Demographic Economic Social/Cultural

Myths vs Reality

Photo: Myriam Torres

Mexican Immigrant Study Funding:

RPS Grant, USC Aiken Partnership, USCA Consortium for Latino Immigration Studies, USC

Methodology: 181 open-ended, taped interviews (68 questions) Subjects residing in 14 SC counties Most using snowball sampling method Mexican Consulate Consulados Moviles

Many Thanks To….. Grad Students

Amanda Elias Vargas Kristin Hudgins Emily Arnold

Transcribers Micaela Montes Claudia Stinson Joanna Vargas Julie Leone

Community Contacts Alma Puente Glenda Bunce Myriam Torres Acercamiento Hispano Hispanic Leadership Council Mexican Consul General Armando Ortiz Rocha

Project Aims Provide a baseline profile of Mexican

immigrants In their own words, immigrants’:

Experiences Future plans Major needs and concerns

Mexico63%

Puerto Rico10%

Central America

11%

Other9%South

America7%

Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2005 data

Latin American Country of Origin, SC

New Faces in SC

Photo: Craig Stinson

New Faces SC


Where in South Carolina?

Source: US Bureau of the Census, 2005 Estimates

Mexican State of Origin Half of respondents

arrive from southeastern Mexico

These are relatively new sending states

Source: Mexican Immigrant Study, 2006

Mexican Immigrant Study:Respondent Gender

Males69%

Females31%


Demographic Profile Median age: 29

Average years in school: 8.4

Educational Attainment

7-9 Years25%

0-6 Years36%

16+ Years3%

12-16 Years

7%

10-12 Years29%


Respondents’ County of Residence, SC

County of Residence

AikenAndersonBeaufortCharlestonDorchesterGreenvilleJasperKershawLexingtonNewberryPickensRichlandSaludaSpartanburg

Migration Patterns Average years in the

U.S.: 4.5 Average years in SC:

3.5Migration Route

Direct to SC73%

>1 Yr Other State27%


Marital StatusMales

Married56%

Single44%

Females

Married84%

Single16%


Family Characteristics: Spouse


Location of Spouse, Males

Wives MX53%

Wives SC47%

Family Status

Single34%

Married w/children

47%

Married no children

19%

Source: Mexican Immigrant Study

Family Characteristics: Children

Children MX33%

Children SC63%

Children both4%


Why Leave Mexico? Mexico’s economic situation since mid-

1980s: Neoliberal economic policies

Declining income levels Less job stability

Economic crises of 1980s, 1994 Declining wages Loss of jobs

Regional economic crises

Why Leave Mexico? “I would prefer to always live in Mexico, but there

are more opportunities here. Nobody wants to leave, but the situation forces one to move here. . . . Here there are better opportunities for the children, they can learn. [In Mexico] that’s very expensive. Jobs are better here. [There] my husband worked with asbestos.”

Woman, 21, from Chihuahua In SC 2 years


Why Leave Mexico? “[In Mexico] it’s difficult, there is no money, you

earn too little to help your family. We decided to come here for a better future. [There] if you get sick there is no money for a cure. My mother died because we didn’t have money, and 9 children were left with only a father. This is why we came here.”

Woman, 25, from Oaxaca, In SC 5 years


Why Leave Mexico? “Our country is very humble, there we

make 70 pesos [$ .70 an hour], here we make $6.00. The truth is that isn’t a life. It’s why we have to have the courage to come here, because [in Mexico] there isn’t a life, you have to make a change to break the chains of poverty.” Male, age 50, from VeracruzIn SC 15 months


Why South Carolina? Jobs

Some companies compete by lowering costs: rely on inexpensive, highly productive labor pool

Economic growth patterns in Southeast

Social Networks 62 percent of respondents came to SC because

family members or friends were already here*

Security

* Source: Mexican Immigrant Study, 2006

Why SC? Social Networks

“Eight or ten years ago some friends came here to South Carolina from Chiapas and they told us that it’s peaceful, and that work is easier. Because of that, we came.”

Male, age 40, from Chiapas

In SC 3 years


Why SC? Social Networks

“[I am in SC] because my brothers helped me come here, it’s much better [here] than in Texas. There I didn’t have family.”

Female, age 31, from Veracruz In SC 1 yr (after 2 years in Texas)


Why SC? Security

“[In Mexico] there is a lot of poverty, robberies, assault, throwing people in jail…here, no. In this state, no. I haven’t seen that here. Here they even protect animals. It’s very peaceful here.”

Female, age 33, from Mexico City

In SC 1 year


Economic Profile: Occupations

Construction45%

Restaurants17%

Mfg13%

Service9%

Landscaping6%

Poultry Processing

5%

Trade5%



Jobs SC


Myth #2: Latino immigrants are a drain on the U.S. economy Employment

Only .02 in this study are unemployed* SC employers rely on this low-cost, highly productive labor

force Buying Power

2005: Latino buying power (adjusted for remittances) in SC was $3.5 billion (Woodward study, USC)

Social Services Undocumented immigrants are eligible only for WIC (for U.S.-

born children) WIC was the only service used by respondents* 1/3 of children in this sample were born in the U.S., not all were

eligible for WIC* Churches, non-profit organizations provide most help*

*Source: Mexican Immigrant Study, 2006

Economic Contributions Studies show that immigrants’ economic

contributions greatly outweigh their costs For example, a 2005 NC study showed

Latino immigrants created 89,600 jobs Paid ca. $756 million in taxes

Many experts estimate that about 65% of undocumented immigrants work “on the books” so have taxes withheld.*

*Doug Campbell, “The Illegal Immigration Effect,” Region Focus 2006

Paying Taxes


Myth #3: Latinos do not want to learn English

English Language Acquisition

Indep Study23%

Via work/fam

18%

Formal Classes

27%Not Yet

Learning32%


Some Learn English “I was obligated to speak your language, I

am here…I am the one who has to speak your language. How did I learn it? I learned it by studying the dictionary, time passed, and I learned little by little.”

Male, 29, from Veracruz In SC 1.5 years/US 9 years


Virtually all want to learn English Virtually every respondent expressed the need/desire to learn

English.

“It would be nice to speak English, because it would open many doors, I could make friends with anyone, and it would give me confidence. It’s difficult to find an American who will speak Spanish with you.”

Male, 23, Chiapas In SC 3 months/U.S. 4 years.

“Our greatest need is to master or speak English . . . We could get a better job and later work for more rights, for insurance, for a [driver’s] license.”

Male, 25, from Puebla In SC 1 month/U.S. 3 months


For most, the problem is time

“The reason I don’t speak more English is because I work 12-16 hours every day, every week so I can have something in the future, for my kids and my wife.”

Male, 23, from Puebla

In SC 8 years


Myth #4: Latino Immigrants are Criminals who Don’t Respect the Law

Only .02% (N=4) reported legal violation (all related to driving)

Many said they have respect for the law Major issue re laws: how to learn what they

are

.


Respect for the law (Spoken in English) “Most of the American people they tell you, ‘You just come

here [to] take our jobs. You coming here so the government give you welfare, or stamps for food.’ . . . But we don’t. We come to work, make a better life. . . . I don’t know why people think like that. We here, we pay taxes, we respect the laws, we do everything like everybody else so I don’t understand why people discriminate like that.”

Male, 21, from Puebla In SC 8 years


Learning About the Law “Hispanic policemen have helped [me here], they

give good information about how to obey the laws of the road when you drive. [They gave] a good orientation about how to respect the laws and that we must respect the laws. Here the law is more important [than in Mexico].”

Male, 28, from Veracruz. In SC 6 years


Knowing the Law…. “I think I have had a bad experience because I

didn’t know the laws. Because three years ago, . . . We were detained because they said that we had falsified our documents, or passports, but a lawyer who said he would help us did this.” (Says she was cleared of charges).

Female, age 38, from Hidalgo In SC 15 years


Myth #5: Latino Immigrants Want to Live in the U.S. Permanently

Future Plans

Plan Return Mexico

59%

Don't Know13%

Remain US28%


Immigrants’ Goals “I’m thinking of staying here awhile to get some

money together to be able to start a business [in Mexico] because I want to be near my family. I would like to start a clothing store because my mother had a clothing store 30 years ago, I would like that. Or food, I would like to make and sell food.”

Female, age 37, from Mexico City In SC one year


Their Goals “My family wants to return to Veracruz,

everything is going well here, but here it’s only work, work, work. They are getting older and want to rest. Most still have houses there, we just came here because of the [Mexican] economy.”

Female, age 18, from Veracruz In SC 3 years


But Many Don’t Return As Planned… “In the beginning when I got here I thought I

would stay only one year. But I realized that after a year my economic situation had not improved, nor had the situation changed for my family in Mexico. I think that I’ll stay a few more years but not permanently.”

Male, 25, from Veracruz In SC 1.5 years


Where Do You Want to Live When You’re Elderly?

Both3%

Mexico70%

U.S.14%

Don't Know12%

Other1%


Marginalization

Photos: Elaine Lacy

HousingHousing Type

Mobile Home40%

Apartment27%

Duplex1% House

32%


Condition of Housing “Our trailer is full of roaches and mice, we

have no hot water, and things are broken. When we told the landlord he said he would report us if we complain. So we heat the water on the stove to take a bath.”

Male, age 46, from Veracruz In SC 4 years


Overcrowding

Household Size

4-6 in HH43%

>6 in HH15%

Nuclear Family

27%

1-3 in HH15%


Marginalization: Healthcare Less than 1% have health insurance 40% have not seen a doctor in the U.S. Barriers to health care:

Cost Language barriers No transportation


Marginalization: Low Wages About $15,000 annual income

“In some ways [here] were are the same as before, poor, but here the poverty is ten times better off than there.”

Woman, age 21, from Chihuahua In SC 2 years


Marginalization: Job Insecurity “I think it would be better to have a work permit

because you know the government knows that Hispanics are working here and the government knows that we are illegal and one day they can deport us. Perhaps you have created a life, a family, dreams, and because you’re illegal everything can be lost. So it’s difficult to build anything.”

Male, age 22 from Veracruz In SC 5 years


A Changing South Carolina

Source: Greenvilleonline.com, 11 August 2005

Debunking Myths Myth # 1: America is Being Overrun with

Immigrants Myth #2: Latino immigrants are a drain on the

U.S. economy Myth #3: Latinos do not want to learn English Myth #4: Latino Immigrants are Criminals who

Don’t Respect the Law Myth #5: Latino Immigrants Want to Live in the

U.S. Permanently

Documents

Myth vs. Reality: Mexican Immigrants in South Carolina