Mexicans’ role in U.S. population growth

A new report issued this week by the Pew Hispanic Center documents changes in the migration pattern of Mexicans leaving and returning to Mexico. The report identifies a drop in both Mexicans migrating from their country and in Mexicans migrating back to Mexico, but the reduction in those leaving has been much steeper than the drop in those returning. The net result is a narrowing of the gap between the two trends to the point that in 2010 there were only about 90,000 more Mexicans leaving than returning – most of them entering and leaving the United States.

While the Pew study found the influx of Mexican migrants to the United States and their contribution to the U.S. population increase has slowed in recent years, it also found that the average fertility of Mexican immigrants living in the U.S. continues to drive population growth here. The fertility rate of Mexicans in the U.S. – both U.S.-born and foreign-born is significantly higher than any other demographic group in the country, including other Hispanics. Interestingly, the fertility rate for Mexican immigrants is higher than for Mexican-Americans, and both have fertility rates higher than Mexicans living in Mexico.