3.A USA - AC Flashcards
key patterns
-2013 - 41.3 mill. immigrants living in usa
- included 78 nationalists with over 500,000 people each
- main contributors to the immigrants pop. in 2013 was
Mexico(28%)
India (5%)
china (5%)
philippines (4%)
Puerto Rico (3.5%)
- 2013 - 2.98 mill. US citizens were living abroad
opportunities created - socially
- introduction on mexican culture and traditions increases the cultural aspects and diversity - Mexican themed food = v. popular w/ burrito and taco fast food shops. New food and music has helped to improve cultural diversity of America significantly.
- with such a large number of Mexican migrants not speaking fluently = common for Spanish to be taught in schools, widening the skillset of the younger population and improving potential career opportunities for students. also slightly helps ease social tensions.
- LT. INCREASE OF TOURISTS
opp created - economically
-many immigrants took low paid jobs that Americans felt unattractive e.g 31% in services, 25% in manufacturing and construction and 22%v in transport snd production - contributed to USA GDP
- remittances sent back to fam - increase amount of money back - increases Mexican economy
- most are young workers - decreased crude birth rate and pop. is ageing
- 9mmigranst are consumer themselves - helps job creation and business start ups which generates wealth
- LT filling gaps in labour market
challenges created - socially
- many migrants can’t speak English and hasn’t improved drastically since migrated - causes language barrier, socio-economic attainment, political participation, residential location and difficulty finding a job
- in closed communities - decreases need to assimilate with Americans - increases social tension - leads to segregation, crime and violence
- concerns that immigrants increase crime rates - due to poor education and income
- drug trafficking - prominent in mexico
challenges created - economically
- mexican migrants often take low paying, menial jobs which offer higher wages than they’d earn in Mexico
> at first, this was advantageous but as unemployment increased in America, Americans want these menial jobs, but migrants have already taken them.
> can lead to ↑ social tension as Americans believe their jobs are being taken - many unemployed Americans cat find jobs due to fact Mexicans have taken up the low paid Jobs - Americans unable to find jobs - leads to increase in poverty and unemployment rate as people ar eforced out o fjobs for cheaper migrant labour- many companies are now replacing American labour w/ cheaper migrant labour, also ↑ unemployment rates as people are forced out of their jobs
- rather thank spending rem. in America they send it home- affect countires economic statsu - less money spents on products taxed in America
- unemplyment rates - higher amongst mexican immigranst (94%) than native citizens (5.65) - suggesting mexicans also struggle to find work and then need support by the state - puts pressure oon services
migration policies
- reunification of families - 480,00 visas are viable per year for family members to join US citizens
- admission of migrants with skills and valuables tp the US economy - 140,000 visas for highly skilled workers
- protecting refugees
- promoting diversity - 50,000 migrant visas drawn by random selection of individuals from countries with low rate of immigration to the USA
- Humanitarian relief - temp. visas available each year from natural disasters or ongoing armed conflict
interdependence with countries linked to usa via migration
- 2013, over 11.5 mill Mexicans lived in USA and 1 mill Americans in Mexico - largest diaspora living in the other - growing social and cultral connectivity
- low- skilled Mexicans contribute to US economy in agriculture, construction, and low paid services
- formation of NAFTA bilateral trade between the USa and Mexico has grown significantly
- Political power relations remain imbalanced but increasingly there has been co-ordination and co-operation over issues in common.
For the USA, to what extent do the challenges outweigh the opportunities?
for USA, opportunities outweigh challenges
if it was a really big challenge they would limit migration more
opportunities in USA more significant in south where migrants are concentrated
disproportionate impact of Mexican migration to USA
substantial migrant population along southern/border states
what does this case study look at? (USA)
this case study looks at the USA and focuses on the USA-Mexico migration corridor (classic South-North intra regional migrant flow).
it should be clearly noted thar in migration flows, the richer country will ALWAYS control the flow (through immigration policies and border controls), and the AC will always benefit more from the flows compared to the source country.
this exacerbates inequalities between the countries, acting as a positive feedback loop to increase the gulf in development between the 2 countries.
whilst there are opportunities and challenges for the USAs migration policy, the opportunities will outweigh the challenges (if they did not, the USA would change their policy)
how does migration develop ECONOMIC interdependence between the USA and Mexico?
low skilled Mexicans (many illegal) contribute to the US economy by working in agriculture, construction and low paid services. Wages are much than higher in Mexico
since the formation of NAFTA, bilateral trade between USA and Mexico has increased significantly.
reciprocal merchandise trade alone = $1.4 billion per day
Mexican industry has benefitted e.g. development of aerospace and IT sectors boosted mainly by FDI from USA
how does migration develop SOCIAL interdependence between the USA and Mexico?
2013) 11.5 million Mexican lived in USA
1 million Americans in Mexico
growing social and cultural connectivity
how does migration develop POLITICAL interdependence between the USA and Mexico?
since the formation of NAFTA, bilateral trade between USA and Mexico has increased significantly.
political power relations remain imbalanced but increasingly there has been co-ordination and cooperation over issues in common:
> border security, drug trade, human trafficking and environmental issues such as water security
> joint management of Colorado River Basin
