Struggle and Resilience of Migrant Indigenous Communities in Irregular Settlements in Mexico

The rapid industrialization of Monterrey in the last century and the lack of attention to social demands have hyper-stratified social interaction in the city. Monterrey embodies the structural inequalities of Mexico and Latin America, where migrant indigenous people face constant economic and social pressures, and at the same time remain the most invisible in Northern Mexican society. This case study examines to what extent the irregular status of urban settlements hinders their residents’ access to regulated basic services in the Monterrey Metropolitan Area and how this perpetuates the cycle of poverty. The authors identify a course of action with 10 new specific recommendations for the communities, NGOs, policy designers and other competent authorities, as well as suggestions on interculturality and gender.