Guanajuatense and Other Mexican Immigrants in the United States ...

Saénz, R. and A.I. Martínez (forthcoming.). “Labor marketearnings of Mexican-origin workers in non-metropolitanAmerica.” In Rural Latinos: cross nationalperspectives. Penn State Press, Rural Studies Series.Sepúlveda Garza, M. 1994. “Lineamientos del procesoagrario en el este de Guanajuato 1920-1982.”Regiones, II (4): 187-196.Taylor, P. 1973. “Mexican labor colony at Bethlehem,Pennsylvania.” In Rosaldo, Renato, et. al., Chicano:the evolution of a people. Minnesota: Winston Press.U.S. Bureau of Census. 1982. General population char -acteristics, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C.U.S. Bureau of Census. 1992. General population char -acteristics, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C.U.S. Bureau of Census. 1997. Current Population Sur -vey, Washington, D.C.U.S. Bureau of Census. 1998. Population Projectionsfor States, by Age, Sex, Race and Hispanic Origin,CB96-176, Washington, DC.EndnotesAn earlier version of this article was presented at theNational Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies inthe Centro Histórico, México, D.F., México, on June 24-27, 1998. It was given at a panel titled “Redes demigrantes Guanajuatenses en los Estados Unidos.”1. Similar processes are occurring in the meat-processingindustry across the country. Mexican workers are becomingthe majority in the labor force of this industry. Thisappears to be a trend in the meat and poultry plants in theU.S. Midwest, South, and East. For further informationsee Gouveia, forthcoming and Horowitz and Miller (forthcoming).2. The Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB)designates and defines metropolitan areas (MAS). Theseinclude metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), consolidatedmetropolitan statistical areas (CMSAs), and primarymetropolitan statistical areas (PMSAs), of which MSAsare the most numerous.The underlying concept of MSA is that of a core areacontaining a large population nucleus, together with adjacentcommunities having a high degree of economic andsocial integration with that core. MSAcomposed of entirecounties, except in New England, where the componententities are cities and towns. By the OMB’s current MASstandards, each MSA must include either a city with least950,000 people, or Census Bureau-defined urbanized area(UA), and total population of least 100,000 (75,000 inNew England).Within an area that meets the requirements to be anMSAand also has a population of one million or more, theOMB recognize individual component areas if they meetspecified criteria and local opinion supports their recognition.If recognized, the component areas are designated asPMSAs, and the entire area that contains them becomes aCMSA. If PMSAs are not recognized, the entire area isdesignated as MSA. Metropolitan Areas, June 30, 1993,U.S. Maps, GE-90, no. 4.3. By subsistence farming or agriculture, the authors makereference to “agricultura temporal” [rain-fed agriculture],as it is called in Mexico. This type of crop cultivationtakes place on marginal lands comprised of poor soils,uneven terrain, and no or little water for irrigation. Theparcels are small, under five hectares, and are primarilyused to grow subsistence crops, such as corn, beans, andsquash. Some of the crops are also sold on the market.4. The term “Latinos” refers to people whose origins are inLatin America. This population includes U.S. citizensremoved from Latin America over many generations, butwho acknowledge and trace their rich heritage to Mexico,Central America, the Caribbean, and what is commonlyreferred to as South America.5. “Chicanos” refers to people of Mexican descent, U.S.- andforeign-born, who reside in the United States. It is a selfidentityterm, and as such, members of this population mayor may not choose to call themselves Chicanos. Othersmay prefer to call themselves, tejanos, Mexican Americans,hispanos, or just “americanos.”6. The Central Plateau Region is a basin within theCordilleran highlands in central Mexico. It has numerousurban communities and the largest population concentrationin the country. Increasing population pressure and theland-tenure system have stimulated a massive migration toMexican Cities, the United States, and Canada.7. In May of 1994, the State of Guanajuato established LaDirección de Atención a Comunidades Guanajuatenses enel Extranjero. The objectives of this governmental officewas (i) to determine the number and location of the gua -najuatenses in the United States; (ii) to promote associationsof guanajuatenses in the United States; (iii) to workwith governmental and non-governmental agencies thatdeal with immigrants; (iv) to write and distribute anewsletter; (v) to visit the immigrants; and (vi) to lookafter the general well-being of the immigrants.8. The “core-sending states” are Durango, Jalisco,Michoacán, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas,Tamaulipas, and Nuevo Leon. Peasants from these stateshave migrated and immigrated to the United States since