At the beginning of the twenty-first century, a generation of children crossed the border from the United States to begin their lives anew in Mexico. While all were international migrants, their roots spread far and wide. Some were migrant returnees born in Mexico; others had only ever known a life in the United States. Distinguishing returnees from new arrivals seems simple, but defining these youths' affiliations in their new homes in Mexico is much more complex and yields new insights that enrich our contemporary understanding of inclusion and belonging. 

This book is the product of twenty-five years' worth of fruitful interdisciplinary dialogue and research on these children's trajectories, tracing their journeys and studying integration—or lack thereof—into Mexican society and institutions.

  "Among the virtues of this book is the introduction of a new permutation to the generational concept: to the now-conventional distinctions of 1, 1.5, and 2 generations, Victor Zúñiga and Silvia Giorguli add a new twist: the 0.5 generation. The majority of 0.5 children were born in the United States and hence can return at any time, with all the rights and privileges of U.S. citizens. The concept of the 0.5 generation is a brilliant innovation and one that should become part of the migration toolkit."—Roger Waldinger, University of California, Los Angeles

"This book is one of a kind! The inclusion of two decades of research across states in Mexico and to some extent the United States is a gem and a gift to the field. The authors have put together a wealth of research, wisdom, insights, and analysis to focus on students whose lives are not defined by or cannot be placed within a specific country. It is a book that is grounded in theory and rich with information for educators, policy makers, and scholars."—Tatyana Kleyn, The City College of New York