Undocumented Lives: The Untold Story of Mexican Migration

by Ana Raquel Minian

In the 1970s the Mexican government acted to alleviate rural unemployment by supporting the migration of able-bodied men. Millions crossed into the United States to find work that would help them survive as well as sustain their families in Mexico. They took low-level positions that few Americans wanted and sent money back to communities that depended on their support. But as U.S. authorities pursued more aggressive anti-immigrant measures, migrants found themselves caught between the economic interests of competing governments. The fruits of their labor were needed in both places, and yet neither country made them feel welcome.

Ana Raquel Minian explores this unique chapter in the history of Mexican migration. Undocumented Lives draws on private letters, songs, and oral testimony to recreate the experience of circular migration, which reshaped communities in the United States and Mexico. While migrants could earn for themselves and their families in the U.S., they needed to return to Mexico to reconnect with their homes periodically. Despite crossing the border many times, they managed to belong to communities on both sides of it. Ironically, the U.S. immigration crackdown of the mid-1980s disrupted these flows, forcing many migrants to remain north of the border permanently for fear of not being able to return to work. For them, the United States became known as the jaula de oro--the cage of gold.

Undocumented Lives tells the story of Mexicans who have been used and abused by the broader economic and political policies of Mexico and the United States.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Latinx, American History, Politics, Race, Sociology

336 pages, Hardcover

First published March 28, 2018

Reviews

[david · Rating 4 out of 5]

A remarkable work of research and scholarship. Among the most stunning things to me was Minian’s argument that migration from Mexico in the 70s was a partial response to the crisis of stagflation. In a sense her broader argument suggests that Mexican politicians envisioned migration to the US as a spatial fix for the crisis of surplus labor. On the other hand, as the US was dealing with its own crisis of surplus labor, politicians inflamed racist and xenophobic ideas and practices as an alibi for their own neoliberal economic policies.
But across all of this, the book is driven by remarkable source material—tons of oral histories and documents that convey the texture of the lives of migrants as full and complex people.

[Sierra Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is SO good. I cannot recommend it enough. Even though it covers a short period of time there is so much that happens and the author does a great job at providing a lot of nuance to this historical and modern discussion.

[Daniel Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book focuses on migrants between the 1965 Immigration Laws and the 1986 Reagan Amnesty. The author is comprehensive - she covers motivations, social and economic lives, public policy in both countries, migrant social clubs or activist organization, the development of transnational families and communities, the impact of migration on non-migrants, rhetoric around migration, the daily lives of migrants, the role of gender, race, and sexual orientation.

I really liked that 1) the author had an appendix that explored methodology, sampling, the choices behind the sources used and their reliability, and 2) that the author did not stop at 1986, but instead used the last chapter to continue her analysis up into the Trump Administration.

[Stephen long · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The greatest tragedy in the narrative that has been constructed about undocumented migrants, however, is that it obscures the lives and humanity of actual people”

In 'Undocumented Lives,' Ana Raquel Minian offers an in-depth look into Mexican migration in the U.S. from the 1960s to the 1980s. This book goes beyond dry statistics and politics, instead painting a vivid picture of the human experiences behind migration. Minian skillfully explores the dual challenges these individuals faced: adapting to life in the U.S. without legal status and maintaining strong ties with their communities in Mexico. The book delves into the impacts of the shifting U.S. and Mexican government policies on migrants, emphasizing the personal and communal struggles they navigated. 'Undocumented Lives' is more than a historical account; it is a story about real people, who like you and me, were doing everything they could to work hard, support their family, and find belonging.

Initially, when I bought the book I expected a collection of personal stories from Mexican migrants, but the book turned out to be more of a historical analysis of this specific period. Despite my initial surprise, I found the book incredibly enlightening. It challenged many mainstream misconceptions about undocumented people. Minian effectively debunks myths that label migrants as job stealers or lazy individuals living off taxpayer dollars. She presents a clear, factual narrative showing that these accusations don't hold true for the vast majority of migrants, whether documented or undocumented. Additionally, she goes through an extensive look at the political events from both the Mexican and US governments that have ultimately created for many migrants a “jaula de oro” living in the US.

While the book sometimes felt repetitive and certain topics appeared overemphasized, I came away with a much deeper understanding of a topic often misunderstood in public discourse. 'Undocumented Lives' isn't just a historical account; it's an essential read for anyone looking to grasp the realities of undocumented migration beyond the political rhetoric. It offers a perspective that is both educational and eye-opening, transforming how we view the contributions and struggles of these migrants. Overall, I really loved the book for its educational value and its ability to shed light on a subject that is frequently misrepresented."

[Carissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good, incredibly informative book that helps put some perspective on migration from Mexico to the United States. That said, it is dense and sometimes dry so it took me time to get through, and I know I'll want to come back to it later to read in more depth. Still, if you know what you're getting into, and don't mind such informative writing, it's worth the read.

[Satya Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was engaging and offered a more personal feeling to the struggles of Mexican Migration in the latter half of the nineteenth century. I think this book does a great job showing the fear and insecurities of being a migrant in America, and I enjoyed the collection of oral histories that came with it--it is important that Minian used such a vast array of sources to show a united experience and free the overall narrative from biases that can be presented through singular testimonies. I can only hope some of these oral histories were archived with the intention of being accessed by more scholars in the coming years.

[Megan Geissler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this until I got to the solutions sections Advocating that people pop labels on food isnt going to change neoliberalist systems. Otherwise I enjoyed that the thinly veiled pseudonyms of the local business landscape will allow me to choose food more wisely. And, I want to visit farms to see if they've made any progress in addressing human/workers' rights abuses in the last decade. Looking at you, Sakuma Brothers, Inc.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really cleanly done and really interesting. She looked at a defining period in US-Mexico immigration history (post-Bracero, 1960s-1980s) from all of the facets in explaining shifts in Mexican policy, US policy, and by fundamentally focusing on the individual lives of migrants and the family they left behind.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book did an exceptional job of including research and a story line to give a historical account of Mexican migrant workers. While I was assigned part for a graduate course, I read the entire book as it was engaging and provided excellent resources throughout. This should be a must read as it applies to modern immigration policies

[Scott Burgess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Minian takes an abstract, marginalized story and makes it profoundly human and personal. The current toxic rhetoric about immigrants is nothing new, and this book lays bare its roots and its very real effects on very real people.

[Juan-Carlos Bautista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Minian's ability to weave primary and secondary sources into a narrative that is both enjoyable and informative is simply amazing.

[Bright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Analytical and nuanced scholarship!

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-researched book with insightful and nuanced perspectives on the causes of Mexican migration, and the experiences of migrants themselves. A little repetitive, however.

[Lillyana · Rating 3 out of 5]

You ever read something that just hurts your heart? Yeah, that's this book.

[Anna Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had read this 10 years ago, but I’m still so thankful for the knowledge it’s gifted me now.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Highly enjoyed the book, but I do think that the author sometimes glossed over the relations between the U.S. and Mexico as black and white or completely reactionary when such relations clearly had to have been more complex to put us where we are today. I enjoyed reading about the communities formed in America and the way that remittances were established as a type of social welfare system that benefited the entirety of a village back home.

[Mills College Library]

973.04687 M6651 2018