MIGRATION ANDMIGRATION ANDECONOMICSECONOMICS

Zoltan Grossman, The Evergreen State CollegeZoltan Grossman, The Evergreen State Collegehttp://academic.evergreen.edu/g/grossmaz

Types of migrationTypes of migration

• Emigration (from) or immigration (to)Emigration (from) or immigration (to)

• Voluntary or involuntary (forced)Voluntary or involuntary (forced)

• International (between countries) International (between countries)

or internal (within a country)or internal (within a country)..

• Documented or undocumentedDocumented or undocumented

Migration flowsMigration flows

Push factorsPush factors

• Violence (war or high crime)Violence (war or high crime)

• Poor economyPoor economy

• Ethnic or religious persecutionEthnic or religious persecution

• Degraded resources or poor weatherDegraded resources or poor weather

Pull factorsPull factors

• Peace (or more security)Peace (or more security)

• Economic opportunities/ good servicesEconomic opportunities/ good services

• Freedom of expression Freedom of expression

• Better sense of place or weather Better sense of place or weather

Intervening obstaclesIntervening obstacles

• Restrictions on immigrationRestrictions on immigration

• Bias against immigrants Bias against immigrants

• Distance and lack of moneyDistance and lack of money

• Cultural unfamiliarityCultural unfamiliarity

VOLUNTARY MIGRATIONVOLUNTARY MIGRATION

• Gross migrationGross migration– Total number of Total number of

migrantsmigrants

• Net migrationNet migration– Gain or loss as Gain or loss as

result of migrationresult of migration

Chain migrationChain migration

• Family/friends write home, Family/friends write home, attract new immigrantsattract new immigrants

• Family reunificationsFamily reunifications

• ““Secondary migration” to Secondary migration” to new home in adopted new home in adopted countrycountry

““Guest workers”Guest workers”

• Temporary employmentTemporary employment

• Send money homeSend money home

• Kids become citizens? Kids become citizens?

Filipina domestic workersFilipina domestic workersin Hong Kong, 1990sin Hong Kong, 1990s

Turks in Germany, 1980sTurks in Germany, 1980s

MexicanMexican““braceros”braceros”in U.S.,in U.S.,1950s1950s

““Brain Drain”Brain Drain”

• Educated, skilled Educated, skilled migrate for better jobsmigrate for better jobs

• Wealthy, educated Wealthy, educated country gainscountry gains

• Poor country loses Poor country loses skilled peopleskilled people

REFUGEESREFUGEES(involuntary)(involuntary)

• Flee war or persecutionFlee war or persecution– International or internal (unrecognized)International or internal (unrecognized)

• Many move to temporary campsMany move to temporary camps

• Apply for “asylum” (safe haven)Apply for “asylum” (safe haven)

Main sources of refugeesMain sources of refugees

Highlands in LaosHighlands in Laos

MekongMekongRiverRiver(border)(border)

Refugee campRefugee campin Thailandin Thailand

LaosLaos

ThailandThailand

HmongHmongrefugeesrefugees

from Laosfrom Laos

HmongHmongrefugeesrefugees

fromfromLaosLaos

Many nowMany nowin Calif.,in Calif.,

Minn., Wis.Minn., Wis.

““Ethnic cleansing”Ethnic cleansing”

Forced removal ofForced removal of

an ethnic groupan ethnic group

Serbs expelledSerbs expelledfrom Krajinafrom Krajina(Croatia), 1995(Croatia), 1995

AlbaniansAlbaniansexpelledexpelled

from Kosovo from Kosovo (Serbia), 1999(Serbia), 1999

(term from breakup(term from breakup

of Yugoslavia, 1990s)of Yugoslavia, 1990s)

Afghan refugeesAfghan refugees

MigrationMigrationand the U.S.and the U.S.

International / Involuntary : International / Involuntary : Transatlantic Slave TradeTransatlantic Slave Trade

DiasporaDiaspora

A group scatteredA group scatteredglobally by large-globally by large-scale migrationscale migration

African DiasporaAfrican DiasporaJewish DiasporaJewish Diaspora

Chinese DiasporaChinese DiasporaPalestinian DiasporaPalestinian Diaspora

Internal /Internal /Involuntary:Involuntary:

Indian Removal Indian Removal west of west of

Mississippi RiverMississippi River

Waves of immigration, 1840s-1930sWaves of immigration, 1840s-1930s

Annual Immigration by Region of OriginAnnual Immigration by Region of Origin

Origins and Destinations of Recent ImmigrantsOrigins and Destinations of Recent Immigrants

Immigration Patterns from AsiaImmigration Patterns from Asia

Anti-immigrantAnti-immigrantmovementsmovements

Riot againstRiot againstChinese inChinese in

Denver, 1880Denver, 1880

Signs againstSigns againstJapanese inJapanese in

California, 1930sCalifornia, 1930s

Anti-immigrant argumentsAnti-immigrant arguments

• Immigrants “take jobs” and drain servicesImmigrants “take jobs” and drain services– Yet mainly “low-end” jobsYet mainly “low-end” jobs

• Immigrants “threaten” culture/languageImmigrants “threaten” culture/language– Argument sees diversity as negativeArgument sees diversity as negative

• Anti-immigrant movements affect electionsAnti-immigrant movements affect elections–Austria, France, Denmark, California, etc.Austria, France, Denmark, California, etc.

Undocumented immigrants Undocumented immigrants more likely than U.S. citizens to…more likely than U.S. citizens to…

• Be employed Be employed – Work longer hoursWork longer hours

• Be free from assistanceBe free from assistance– Contribute to federal taxes through payrollContribute to federal taxes through payroll

•Drain state social servicesDrain state social services–Federal gov’t should compensate states?Federal gov’t should compensate states?

Immigration Patterns from Latin AmericaImmigration Patterns from Latin America

Mariel BoatliftMariel Boatliftfrom Cuba, 1980sfrom Cuba, 1980s

Economic migrants Economic migrants or refugees?or refugees?

Cubans, Vietnamese had preferredCubans, Vietnamese had preferredstatus because they left a status because they left a

Communist countryCommunist country(Haitians, Salvadorans left U.S. allies)(Haitians, Salvadorans left U.S. allies)

Boat people fromBoat people fromHaiti, 1990sHaiti, 1990s

Who came to whom?

U.S. annexed northern Mexico

in 1845-48

“We didn’t crossthe border.The border

crossed us.”QuickTime™ and a

TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.

Internal migration within U.S.Internal migration within U.S.

Shifting Center of U.S. Population,Shifting Center of U.S. Population,1790 - 19901790 - 1990

Rural-to-urban shiftRural-to-urban shift (Voluntary/internal)(Voluntary/internal)

The Great MigrationThe Great Migration

African AmericansAfrican Americansmoving from Southmoving from Southto North to work to North to work in war industriesin war industries

Shift to Sunbelt and West, late 20th centuryShift to Sunbelt and West, late 20th century

U.S. Interregional MigrationU.S. Interregional Migration (annual average in 1000s during 1990s)(annual average in 1000s during 1990s)