This study uses original data from a large sample of businesses located in Mexican ethnic neighborhoods (barrios) in Texas and California to analyze how perceptions of the economic roles of Mexican immigrant workers differ among 3 employer groups: native ethnic, immigrant ethnic, and non-ethnic. It was found that the immigrant ethnic employer group depends more on Mexican immigrants as workers and as consumers than does the native ethnic group, which tends in many ways to be more like the non-ethnic group. Differences between results for localities on the border with Mexico and those for non-border localities are also discussed.

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cultural anthropology Culture Americas economics population Migrants demography developing country Population Dynamics Developing Countries Ethnic Groups ethnic group Developed Countries Hispanics Hispanic Americans neighborhood Residence Characteristics Commerce United States spatial distribution Cultural Background North America geography Hispanic California Western Hemisphere commercial phenomena Article migration Geographic Factors developed country population and population related phenomena Demographic Factors Emigration and Immigration Economic Factors Transients and Migrants Northern America Native-born Population Characteristics Nationality Macroeconomic Factors employment Texas