Figure 1.2 Five- Mexico, Year Migration Flows Between the U.S. and Mexico, (in thousands) 1995- 2,940
The sharp downward trend in net migration from Mexico began about five years ago and has led to the first significant decrease in at least two decades in the unauthorized Mexican population. As of 2011, some 6.1 million unauthorized Mexican immigrants were living in the U.S., down from a peak of nearly 7 million in 2007, according to Pew Hispanic Center estimates based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Over the same period, the population of authorized immigrants from Mexico rose modestly, from 5.6 million in 2007 to 5.8 million in 2011.
The net standstill in Mexican-U.S. migration flows is the result of two opposite trend lines that have converged in recent years. During the five-year period from 2005 to 2010, a total of 1.4 million Mexicans immigrated to the United States, down by more than half from the 3 million who had done so in the five-year period of 1995 to 2000. Meantime, the number of Mexicans and their children who moved from the U.S. to Mexico between 2005 and 2010 rose to 1.4 million, roughly double the number who had done so in the five-year period a decade before. While it is not possible to say so with certainty, the trend lines within this latest five-year period suggest that return flow to Mexico probably exceeded the inflow from Mexico during the past year or two.
Figure 1.2  | Five- Mexico, Year Migration Flows Between the U.S. and  | Mexico, (in thousands) 1995- 2000 and 2005- 2010  | Mexico, (in thousands) 1995-  | su, to Mexico Mexico to U.S.  | 1995 to 2000  | 2005 to 2000  | 2,940  | 1,390  | 1,370  | 670  | Note: Estimates are for February 1995 through February 2000 and June 2005  | throug the U, S.1 I June and 2010 elsewhere; Migration Mexico from U.S U.S to includes Mexico Mexican-born includes persons persons born in Mexico,  | throug the U, S.1 June and 2010 elsewhere; Migration Mexico from to U.S U.S to includes Mexico Mexican-born includes persons persons born only. in Mexico,  | Source: U.S to Mexico: Pew Hispanic les ofMexican Center estimates of from 2000 population, and 2010; Mexico household  | Source: and U, S.I migrant U.S micro to Pew Mexico: data Hispanic samp Pew Hispanic les Center ofMexican Center censuses estimates Figure of from 2000 1.3 from population, and 2010; Mexico household to  | U, S.I Methodology Based on Pew Hispanic Center estimates in Figure 1.3 from various sources;  | see Methodology  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 