Militarization of immigration policy in Mexico: From the civil immigration administration to a military one

Abstract

Mexico's immigration policy has changed over time until the armed forces took a lead
ing role in this area. This situation did not occur spontaneously but has been a long 
process of securitization that began in the late 1980s but became more radical after 
9/11. This article provides a genealogy of Mexico's migration policy during the second 
half of the twentieth century up to the six-year term of López Obrador. It notes the im
portance that the US has played in Mexico's decisions on migration issues and points 
to specific time nodes that help to understand how the use of the military or milita
rised police such as the National Guard in Mexican migration policy came to be.