Migration. Why do people move and what are the consequences of that move?

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1 Migration Why do people move and what are the consequences of that move?

2 The U.S. and Canada have been prominent destinations for immigrants. In the 18 th and 19 th century, Europeans were attracted here because of economic plenty and currently lures them here from Latin America and Asia for the same reasons. The U.S., Canada, and Europe view refugees (people who are forced to migrate from their homes and move to another country to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of violence, violations of human rights, or other disasters and cannot return for fear of persecution because of race, religion, nationality, membership in a social group, or political opinion) differently from economic migrants. Economic migrants are generally not admitted unless they possess special skills or have a close relative already there, and even they they must compete with similar applicants from other countries. However, refugees receive special priority in admission to other countries.

3 Of the world s 16 countries with the highest per capita income, 14 are in Northern and Western Europe, so immigrants from poorer regions in the south and east are attracted here. These immigrants serve a useful role in Europe, taking low-status and low-skill job that local residents won t accept. Although relatively low paid by European standards, immigrants earn far more than they would at home. By letting their people work elsewhere, poorer countries reduce their own unemployment problems, and immigrants help their native countries by sending a large percentage of their earnings back home to their families. The addition of foreign currency then stimulates the local economy.

4 Political Push and Pull Factors Political factors also encourage people to move. Slavery is one political push factor. Refugees are forced to move to another country to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of violence, violations of human rights, or other disasters and cannot return for fear of persecution because of race, religion, nationality, membership in a social group, or political opinion. Environmental Push and Pull Factors If people migrate for economic reasons, they are often pulled toward physically attractive regions and pushed from hazardous ones. Migrants are also pushed from their homes by adverse physical conditions such as floods

5 Why do Migrants Face Obstacles? In the past, immigrants faced obstacles in transportation due to long, unsanitary conditions on ships, or long walks over mountains and deserts. Today, transportation improvements have removed this as an obstacle, and most immigrants face political obstacles. Most countries have adopted selective immigration policies that admit some types of immigrants but not others. In 1921, the era of unrestricted immigration to the U.S. ended, and the government instituted quotas, or maximum limits on the number of people who could immigrate to the U.S. during a one-year period. Because the number of applicants for admission to the U.S. exceeds the quotas, Congress has set preferences family members, skilled workers, and diversity.

6 The quota does not apply to refugees, who are admitted if they are judged genuine refugees. Also admitted without limit are spouses, children and parents of U.S. citizens. Other countries argue that by giving preference to skilled workers, immigration policies in the U.S. and Europe contribute to a brain drain, which is a large-scale emigration by talented people. These people often migrate to countries where they can make better use of their abilities. Unauthorized Immigration The number of people allowed to immigrate into the U.S. is at a historically high level, but the number who wish to come is even higher. Many who cannot legally enter the U.S. immigrate illegally. Those who do so are entering without proper documents an are called unauthorized immigrants.

7 It is estimated that there were 11.2 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States in 2010 (the year of the last census). The number increased rapidly during the first years of the twenty-first century. After hitting a peak in 2007, the figure declined because of the recession that started in 2008, which reduced job opportunity in the U.S. The U.S.-Mexico border is 1,951 miles long. Rural areas and small towns are guarded by only a handful of agents. Crossing the border on foot legally is possible in several places. Elsewhere, the border runs mostly through sparsely inhabited regions. The U.S. has constructed a barrier covering approximately one-fourth of the border. Attitudes Towards Immigrants Americans and Europeans share mixed views about immigration. They recognize that immigrants play an important economic role in their countries, but key features of immigration trouble them. In the U.S. the main concern in unauthorized immigration, while in Europe it is cultural diversity.

8 Americans are divided concerning whether unauthorized immigration helps or hurts the country: a. Border patrols: Americans would like more effective border patrols so that fewer unauthorized immigrants can get into the country, but they don t want to see money spent to build more fences along the border. b. Work place: Most Americans recognize that unauthorized immigrants take jobs that no one else wants, so they support some type of work-related program to make them legal, and they oppose raids on workplaces in attempts to round up unauthorized immigrants. Most Americans support a path to U.S. citizenship for unauthorized immigrants. c. Civil rights: Americans favor letting law enforcement officials stop and verify the legal status of anyone they suspect of being an unauthorized immigrant. On the other hand, they fear that enforcement efforts that identify and deport unauthorized immigrants could violate the rights of U.S. citizens

9 d. Local initiatives: Most Americans believe it is the job of the federal government rather than state governments to find unauthorized immigrants. Immigration Concerns in Europe The principle immigration flows in Europe have been from the poorer countries of Europe to the richer one. While immigration within Europe has become easier and more common, it has become more difficult for non- Europeans to immigrate to a European country. Most European countries are in stage 4 of the demographic transition and have economies capable of meeting the needs of their people. Population growth in Europe is fueled by immigration from other regions, a trend that Europeans dislike. Hostility to immigrants has become an important part of some political parties, who fear that long-standing cultural traditions of the hose country are threatened by immigrants who belong to different religions, speak different languages, and practice different cultural habits. They see immigrants as a threat to the traditions of their own countries.

The Cultural Landscape Eleventh Edition

Chapter 3 Lecture The Cultural Landscape Eleventh Edition Migration Matthew Cartlidge University of Nebraska-Lincoln Key Issues Where are migrants distributed? Where do people migrate within a country?