Migrant Smuggling on Mexico’s Gulf Route: The Actors Involved

Migrant flows crossing Mexican territory into the United States along the Gulf route are mainly driven by a demand for cheap labor. The decrease in the number of migrants wishing to cross the border to escape the violence in Mexico has turned undocumented migrants into a rare and valuable commodity....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Latin American perspectives 2017-11, Vol.44 (6), p.16-30
Main Author: Palacios, Simón Pedro Izcara
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Employers
Escape
Finance
Human trafficking
Immigration
Migrant workers
Migrants
Organized crime
Participation
Smuggling
Undocumented immigrants
Violence
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Summary:Migrant flows crossing Mexican territory into the United States along the Gulf route are mainly driven by a demand for cheap labor. The decrease in the number of migrants wishing to cross the border to escape the violence in Mexico has turned undocumented migrants into a rare and valuable commodity. The increasing costs of migrant smuggling as a result of organized crime and the activities of the immigration authorities have prompted employers to finance this activity to ensure that they receive enough workers. In-depth interviews with 70 migrant smugglers shed light on the function and participation of the different actors involved in migrant smuggling. El flujo migratorio que atraviesa el territorio mexicano a través de la ruta del golfo para llegar a los Estados Unidos aparece impulsado principalmente por la demanda de mano de obra barata. El descenso del número de personas dispuestas a cruzar la frontera debido a la violencia que ha afectado a México ha convertido a los indocumentados en una mercancía escasa y valiosa. El incremento de los costes de esta actividad debido a la incursión de los grupos delictivos y las autoridades migratorias ha hecho que los empleadores hayan tenido que financiar el tráfico de migrantes para abastecerse de mano de obra. Entrevistas en profundidad a setenta polleros arrojan luz sobre la función y participación de los diferentes actores involucrados en el tráfico de migrantes.
ISSN:0094-582X
1552-678X
DOI:10.1177/0094582X17699911