Analyzes differences between legal and illegal Mexican migration to the United States as reflected by the migrant population of a rural, mestizo town in Michoacan, Mexico, in which 75% of families send migrants north on a periodic basis. Data collected during 1977-78 on a total town population numbering 2,621 inhabitants indicated that immigration status plays a key role in determining the size and composition of migrating parties, the duration of time spent away from home, and frequency of movement while in the United States. Compared to illegal migrants, it was found that legal migrants, or holders of U.S. resident visas, tended to migrate in larger groups and were much more likely to be accompanied by wives, children, and non-working dependents. -Authors

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