Migration policies and population distribution in Mexico: Regional implementation and impacts

Abstract

The author begins by analyzing the legal framework of migration and population redistribution policies in Mexico since 1973, when the General Law on Population was passed. In that framework, she points out several institutional deficiencies and contradictions. In the second section, she discusses demographic planning in this field, and conducts a follow-up on implementation based on reports from the institutions involved and official documents. To conclude, she examines practical applications of policy instruments, comparing the behavior of governmental variables that had a bearing on the phenomenon before and after the implementation of said policy (1970 to 1990). One of her findings is that the basic elements making population policies on migration operational did not move in the desired direction, i.e., to modify migratory and population distribution so as to achieve expected goals. Despite the continuity of population policies on migration, the implementation of such policies still poses diverse obstacles.