Chapter 3: Migration
Key Issue 2:
Where are migrants distributed???
Global Migration Patterns
Asia, Latin America, and Africa have out-migration
North America, Europe, and Oceania have in-migration
Reflects importance of migration from LDC’s to MDC’s
U.S. Immigration
Pop of US includes 40 million foreign born individuals
½ are from Latin America
¼ are from Asia
Other MDCs with high net migration
Australia
Canada
Oil rich Middle East Countries
US Immigration Patterns
U.S. immigration patterns offer unique study
3rd most populous country in the world
Inhabited overwhelming by descendents of immigrants
Three era’s of immigrations
Settlement of colonies
Mid 19th century- early 20th century
1970’s -today
Era I: Colonial Immigration from England and Africa 1600s- 1776
Sources:Africa
Europe
AfricaSlaves forced to migrate
400,000 shipped to 13 colonies
250,000 after 1808
Europeanvoluntary
Harsh economic conditions
Religious persecution
1 million migrated prior to independence
1 million between 1700’s to 1840’s
1st to arrive settlers at Jamestown, VA in 1607
90% prior to 1840 were British
Era II: 19th Century Immigration from Europe
40 million migrated to USPulled by economic opportunities Mainly from Germany, Italy, U.K, Ireland and Russia3 peaks
1840s, 1850s1880s1900-1913
1840’s-1850’s 1st surge(4.3 million)
Mainly came from Northern and Western Europe
Famine in Ireland (push)Germans
Welcomed Protestant/white/English
2nd peak: 1880’s
500,000 migrantsNorthern and Western Europe
Many migrants from Scandinavia
– Swedes
– Norwegians
Migrants coming from countries moving into Stage 2 of Demographic Transition due to the Industrial Revolution
3rd peak of European Migration: 1900-1914
Nearly 2 million immigrants
2/3rds of immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe
Italy
Russia
Austria-Hungary
Coincided with diffusion of Industrial Revolution
Era III:1970s - PresentAsia:
mainly 1970’s and 1980’sMainly from China, Turkey, and JapanDuring 1990’s and 2000’s mainly from China, Philippines, and India40% of Canadian immigration
Latin AmericaLate 1800s, 1990’s, and 2000’s500,000 a year to U.S.Mexico passes Germany in 2006 as the country that sent the US the most immigrantsDominican Republic is #2 in L.A.
Pushed by:Poor conditions at home
Land shortage
Rapid population increase
Problems:US is no longer sparsely settled
No longer economically booming
Closed frontier
Impact of Immigration on the United States
Legacy of European Migration
Ended after WWI
Europe’s Demographic TransitionRapid pop growth fueled migration
Migration was a safety valve
Europe now in Stage 4Economies meet needs of people
Diffusion of European Culture
65 million European immigrants impacted world culture
Indo-European languages spoken by half the worlds population
Christianity most prevalent religion
Political and economic structures infused
Colonial empires
Undocumented Immigration to the United States
Legal immigration reached highest level in 20th century
More people want to enter than allowed
Called unauthorized (or undocumented) immigrants
Estimated at 11.9 million in 200859 % from Mexico
22% from elsewhere in Latin America
12% from Asia
Children2008 estimate:
–6.3 million adult males
–4.1 million adult females
»1.5 million children
»4 million children born in U.S. to undocumented parents
Creates conflict:Jobs
– 8.3 million of undocumented immigrants employed
– Construction/ hospitality– Border easy to cross
» Border patrol» Wall?
Some Americans angry at paying more taxes and losing jobs
Some favor work programs– Belief that undocumented
immigrants take the jobs no one wants
Dream Act
Dream ActThis bill would provide conditional permanent residency to certain undocumented residents of good moral character who graduate from U.S. high schools, arrived in the United States as minors, and lived in the country continuously for at least five years prior to the bill's enactment.
If they were to complete two years in the military or two years at a four-year institution of higher learning, they would obtain temporary residency for a six-year period.
Within the six-year period, they may qualify for permanent residency if they have "acquired a degree from an institution of higher education in the United States or [have] completed at least 2 years, in good standing, in a program for a bachelor's degree or higher degree in the United States”
This bill would have included undocumented immigrants as old as 35 years of age.
Supporters argue that the Act would not create an "amnesty program" and would produce a variety of social and economic benefits
Critics contend that it would reward illegal immigration and encourage further illegal immigration, inviting fraud and shielding gang members from deportation.
Destination of Immigrants within the United States
Clusters1/5th in California
1/4th of undocumented
1/6th in New York Metro Area
Proximity a factor Cuba / Florida
Mexico/ Texas
Chain MigrationMigration of people to a specific location because relatives or members of same nationality previously migrated there
Job prospects affect settlement
South and West have rapid growth in jobs
Part II: Why do migrants face obstacles?
Immigration Policies of Host Countries
U.S. Quota Laws
Quota Act of 1921 and National Origins Act 1924
Unrestricted immigration ended in 1921
Quotas established
1924: 2% of 1910 census population
– Max 150,000
System continued until 1960’s
Designed to ensure most immigrants were European
Immigration Act of 1965Quotas eliminated in 1968 and replaced with hemisphere quotas
– Eastern = 170,000
– Western= 120,000
1978 QuotaHemisphere quota replaced with a global quota
Total 290,000
Current Global Quota620,000
– 7% max from one country
Today those with families are “preferred”
– Skilled workers preferred
Typical wait is 5 years
Does not apply to refugees
– Has to be “genuine”
Immigration Issues
Brain DrainMost immigrants young, well-educated
US gives preference to “skilled workers”
Large-scale emigration by talented people
84% in Haiti
Asians
Temporary Migration for Work
Guest workersEurope, Middle East
Protected by minimum-wage laws
Earn more than at home
Help native populations by sending $ back
Take low-skill, low-status jobs
Time-Contract Workers
Recruited for a fixed period to work in mines or on plantations
When contract expired, many stayed
Mainly in AsiaChina
American Example:Chinese railroad workers 1860s
Economic Migrants and Refugees
Difficult to distinguish between Migrants seeking economic opportunity and refugees fleeing government persecution
Examples:Cuba
Haiti
Vietnam
Economic migrants are not admitted unless they have a special skills or a close relative
Refugees have special priority
Cuba
Cubans are regarded as political refugees since 1959
After Communist Revolution/ Castro
600,000 admitted to US after revolution in 1959
2nd flood in 1980 when Fidel Castro allowed people to leave
Political prisoners
Criminals
Mental patients
U.S. was unprepared for sudden influx
Migrants had to stay at camps
1987: US allowed 20,000 Cubans per year
Elian Gonzalez
Haiti1957-1986
Duvalier Dictatorship
Not associated with Soviet Union
Refugees not allowedsued US government
1991 a coup to overthrow dictatorship led more immigrants to leave
Today: lots of immigrants, now economic
Vietnam
Huge flux with end of Vietnam war and success of communist North Vietnam in 1975
Migrated to many regions
800,000 in US since 1975
2nd surge in 1980sMainly economic migrants
Cultural Problems
US Attitudes Towards Immigrants
Discrimination in 1840’s-1850’s
1911: Southern and Eastern Europeans were “inferior”
Deemed “inclined towards violent crimes”
Resisted assimilation
When Frontier “closed” public thought so should immigration
Most recently undocumented workers have created a hostile issue
CA, Arizona– Voted to deny
unauthorized immigrants access to public services
Attitudes towards guest workers
In Europe, suffer from poor social conditions
Lonely lifeGuest workers typically young males, no family
Issues with language create cultural barriers
Many oppose programs to improve guest workers living conditions
France, Germany
Some try to pay workers to leave
Guest Workers
Sending workers abroad is an economic strategy for peripheral and semi-peripheral countries
Lessens local unemployment
Enables workers to send $ home
Can help home countries
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