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WHY DID MY FATHER MOVE

FROM MEXICO TO THE


UNITED STATES?
By: Santana Cruz

BACKGROUND
Santana Rodriguez Cruz
Over 25 years in the United States
One daughter (24)

One son
Interested in finding out WHAT made
him make this big decision to move
I am a first generation Mexican-American
Confused about my parents legal
situation as a kid

LIFE IN MEXICO
1987 Santana Sr. graduated from Chapingo Autonomous University
Agricultural Zootecnista Engineer
Job at a bank- helped
farmers who needed loans
Needed more money to
support my Mother

GRADUATION

Older brother called him from the


US
Opportunity to get residency
Working in the tobacco fields

Guaranteed job and better wages


Brothers had been working for the
same American Farmer for a long
time
American farmer was very nice OR
just needed more workers
Provided falsified documents for

my Father and Mother

THE CALL

RONALD REAGANS IMMIGRATION


REFORM BILL 1986
Ronald Reagans Immigration Reform Bill 1986
Any illegal immigrant whod entered the U.S. before 1982 eligible for amnesty
3 million illegal immigrants granted amnesty

Also applied tighter security at the Mexico and U.S. border

RESIDENCY IN THE UNITED STATES


The work documents provided by the American tobacco farmer were
key to getting their residency
Immigration offices gave a test to make sure you were really working
in what you claimed to be
Dad had to teach my Mom all about working in the tobacco fields

MEXICAN IMMIGRANT STATISTICS


Over seven million arrests of illegal Mexican workers in the 1970s alone
# of Mexican immigrants kept increasing
In the 1990s to 2000 the Mexican population experienced a growth
rate of about 53% in the United States
North Carolina in particular had a 45% growth in Hispanic population
from 1990 to 2000.

CROSSING THE BORDER


Crossed through Tijuana, Mexico in 1988
7 days in an old hotel waiting for coyote
Coyote= The person you pay to guide you
through locations where there is less border patrols
The guide was drunk and it was night
Border Patrol spotted their group
Ran and luckily found another

group of people hiding


New coyote
Arrived in San Diego, California

IN THE UNITED STATES


Plan was to stay for 5 years and return
to Mexico
Started working in tobacco fields
near Apex
Seasonal job
Second job was installing and
repairing guard rails
Five months later started working in
concrete business
Ever since then my Father has worked
in the concrete business

SO WHY DID HE MOVE HERE?


To provide a brighter future for my Mother and family
Wages and economy in Mexico was bad
The perfect opportunity = residency through Reagans Immigration Bill

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