Migration Casestudy: AC USA Flashcards
1
Q
What is the AC study for migration?
A
USA
2
Q
What does the AC USA migration case study show?
A
How it influences and drives change in the
global migration system
3
Q
What are the patterns of immigration in the USA?
A
- Up to 48 million migrants reside in the USA in 2023, this is 14.3% of the total population - so 1/7 are immigrants.
- The main contributors of the immigrant population is: Mexico (25% of all foreign-born residents), China, India, the Philippines and Puerto Rico.
4
Q
Why is immigration into the USA attractive?
A
- The USAs previous positive immigration policy and possibility of obtaining a Green Card (possibility of permanent residency).
- Employment opportunities for both low-skilled and high-skilled workers.
- Wage differentials, with the opportunity for remittances
- Access to infrastructure such as education and health services
- Family reunification within the migration policy
- The policy on refugee admission
5
Q
What are the patterns of emigration in the USA?
A
- The USA is typically a country of net migration gain, however emigration numbers are growing
- In 2024, it is estimated 5.5 million US citizens lived abroad.
- The main destination for emigrants is: Mexico, Canada, UK, Puerto Rico, Germany, Australia and Israel.
- Much of the previous point can be explained by the return of migrants such as Mexicans and other Latin Americans with their American-born children.
- In addition, another explanation of this emigration pattern is the migration of highly skilled workers in education, IT and communications to countries with political, economic and historical ties such as Canada and the UK.
6
Q
What were the principles that the US immigration policy was based on?
A
- Reunification of families: 480,000 visas were available per year for family members to join US citizens/legal residents.
- Admission of migrants with valuable skills: There were 140,000 visas available (with limits for any one country) for highly skilled workers - usually sponsored by an employer.
- Protecting refugees: admission changes per year, in 2018 it was 45,000.
- Promoting diversity: the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program made available 50,000 immigrant visas annually - this was drawn by random selection of individuals from countries with low rates of immigration to the USA.
- Humanitarian relief: temporary visas are available each year for relief from natural disasters or ongoing armed conflict.
7
Q
How has Trump altered migration in the USA?
A
- Facilitated deportation of migrants
- Fortifying the US-Mexico border.
- Halting the processing of migrants and asylum seekers
- Expanded the power of ICE to conduct raids.
8
Q
The USA and Mexico have the worlds largest bilateral corridor of migration - true or false?
A
- True
- It is the largest in the world (11 million people)
9
Q
What forms of interdependence can be seen between countries linked to the USA by migration?
A
- Political
- Economic
- Environmental
- Social
10
Q
How is there social interdependence with the US and Mexico?
A
- In 2018, over 39 million Mexicans lived in the USA, and the 2010 Mexican census uncovered up to 740,000 Americans in Mexico.
Each of the two countries has its largest diaspora living in the other; so there is growing social and cultural connectivity
11
Q
How is there economic interdependence with the US and Mexico?
A
- Low-skilled Mexican migrants, with many being illegal, contribute to the US economy through working in agriculture, construction and low-paid services. Wages are much higher than in Mexico (wage differentials), providing opportunity for remittances.
Via formal channels, remittances amounted to $25.2 billion in 2015, being 2.2% of Mexico’s GDP. - Since the formation of NAFTA (North American free trade agreement), bilateral trade between the US and Mexico has grown significantly. Reciprocal merchandise trade alone account for $1.4 billion per day. Mexican industry has benefitted - for example with the development of aerospace and IT sectors being boosted mainly by FDI from the USA.
12
Q
Discuss opportunities created by USA international migration
A
- Immigrant populations occupy many low-paid, low-skilled jobs that native-born American’s find unattractive. In 2018, the main employment of Mexican migrants was in services (30%), natural resources, construction and manufacturing, production and transport. This provides significant contribution to GDP and US economic growth.
- US immigration policy aims to attract highly skilled and well-qualified professionals. This includes those in the arts, science, education, business or athletics; outstanding professors, researchers and some multinational executives. This is seen with India and China, as their main employment was in business and science.
- Most immigrants to the USA are in young working age groups. This is of economic (such as contributing to the tax base) and social benefit in the USA where crude birth rate has declined and the population is aging.
- Immigrants act as consumers themselves, helping job creation and business start-ups, generating further wealth.
13
Q
Discuss challenges created by USA international migration
A
- An estimated 11 million unauthorized migrants, with **5 million* being Mexican, live in the USA. Many Latin American migrants use Mexico as a transit country to access the US. The US Department of Homeland Security has tightened its borders, especially in the South under Trump’s new administration.
- There has been uneven progress in the integration of immigrant groups into US society. Integration is dependent on size and diversity of the various migrant groups with factors such as language, socio-economic attainment, political participation and social interactions. The scale of the unauthorized population is also a barrier to social cohesion and full economic and political integration.
- Immigrant populations tend to become concentrated in areas, putting strains on supply of resources and services. For example, adding demand for water supply in Southern California.
