Weather extremes influence illegal migration and return between the U.S. and Mexico, study finds

Extreme weather in Mexico is contributing to undocumented migration and return between Mexico and the United States. A study published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences analyzed daily weather data along with survey responses from 48,313 people from 1992 to 2018. Researchers focused on 84 agricultural communities in Mexico where growing corn was dependent on weather. People in Mexico experiencing drought were more likely to decide to cross the border, and those in the U.S. were more likely to stay if extreme weather in their origin communities continued. As climate change fuels longer and drier droughts and supercharges storms, researchers said their findings highlight how extreme weather drives migration.