Mexican Immigration and Unemployment in Georgia in the 1990s

Mexican immigration grew substantially in the state of Georgia during the 1990s. This phenomenon generated an environment that led to social and political measures that marginalized and restricted the rights of immigrants. The purpose of this study was to examine the nature of the relationship between Mexican immigration rates into Georgia and the unemployment rate 1 year later from 1990 to 2000. A regression analysis and t test was performed to investigate the relationship between 1-year lagged immigration rates and unemployment rates. The data for monthly Mexican immigration rates for 1990 through 2000 were obtained from the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey. The monthly unemployment rates were obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In the context of labor economics, this study was based on a dynamic linear regression model, and used as a theoretical framework the theories of economic growth and the economics of Mexican immigration. Mexican immigration into Georgia and its specific nature and history were investigated to provide the necessary context to this complex problem. The results showed a statistically significant relationship between 1-year lagged immigration rates and unemployment rates for the state of Georgia in the period 1990 to 2000. These findings indicated that as Mexican immigration rates increased, unemployment rates decreased in Georgia for the period under study. The results of this study can contribute to better the public's understanding of the role of Mexican immigrants in the labor force in Georgia, and may assist policy makers in the design of strategies to manage Mexican immigration, maximizing its benefits for those impacted by this phenomenon.