ABSTRACT
Corruption existed within the Migration Service from the outset, and it was by no means an anomalous aspect of its work; on the contrary, corruption was integral to its various activities. This chapter reveals how public-sector positions became sources of private lucre on various scales, from small businesses to supplement meager salaries to large-scale and highly profitable operations. The author reveals the scope of these practices and abuses that affected both foreigners in Mexico and Mexicans returning from the United States; he also explains the workings of complicit networks of government employees, public authorities, the military, and private-sector businesses. As part of his analysis, the author explains how corruption flourished as regulations and legal prohibitions tightened, and why all efforts to stamp out corruption ended up in failure.
