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