Mexicans are the largest immigrant group in the United States. In 2014, the most recent year for which data is available, they accounted for over 28 percent of the total US foreign-born population. The number of Mexican immigrants to Canada has also been rising steadily since the 1960s. Mexicans are attracted by the greater job opportunities available in the United States and Canada, as well as the opportunity to escape the violence involving drug cartels and the Mexican government. Most Mexican immigrants arrive in the country legally, although illegal immigration has been a problem for many years. In both the United States and Canada, government organizations have worked to prevent illegal migration, while political groups have been formed to advocate for the rights of both legal and undocumented immigrants from Mexico.
