Patterns of Household Immigration into South Texas

Abstract

Relatively little is known about household immigration to the U.S. and in particular, the cultural and work-related aspects of the transition faced by households. Results from this article suggest that immigration often leads to downward social mobility with respect to legal status of household members, type of employment, and property ownership. Of particular note is the transformation of the household from a single to a multiple worker unit, in response to agricultural labor demands and growing employment opportunities in the non-agricultural sector. These factors are influential in the modification of the traditional ideology concerning the division of labor by sex and age. This article introduces a hypothesis for explaining the increase and permanency of household immigration.