migration sg2 Flashcards
introduction of mexico and usa
Mexico: EDC, GDP - 19,000, HDI - 0.7, 46 % under poverty line, gini - 0.48, 12% agriculture, 25 % industry, 62 % in services. Net immigration of -17/1000
USA: AC, GDP: $57,000, HDI: 0.9, 15% under poverty line, gini = 0.45, 1% agriculture, 205 industry, 79% services.
1/3 of the 2000 mile border has physical barriers e.g. fencing, 10,000 try to smuggle themselves every week. Some use coyotes: people smugglers, 1/3 illegal migrants are caught. Most popular routes are sonoran desert and Rio grande.
changes in immigration & emmigration over time
1 - Bracero programme 1940s-60s: Mexicans provided us with agricultural workers on seasonal basis, 5 million employed.
2 - 1950s: operation wetback: deportation of 1 million illegal Mexicans in usa.
3 - 1965 immigration and nationality act: quota on no.of migrants allowed in usa, visa system introduced, long waiting period of 2 years.
4 - maquilas 1960s: bracero ended, Mexican gov let us owned factories set up border towns, employ 1 million
5 - 1986 immigration reform and control act; >2 million Mexicans granted legal residence.
6 - 1994: NAFTA: established largest free trade area in the world involving mexico, usa and Canada.
current patterns of immigration and emmigration in mexico
Emigrate from mexico:
USA: wages 10x higher, better QOL and SOL, neighbouring country, historical reasons e.g. bracero, chain migration
Canada: Canadian gov seasonal workers agricultural programme: Mexicans work as seasonal farmers
Spain: highly skilled Mexicans operate in senior positions in large companies, Hispanic influences, catholic, speak Spanish.
people immigrate to mexico:
USA: deportation of illegal migrants, american retirees: houses are cheaper and lower cost of living, entrepreneurs who have set up maquilas.
Guatemala: flee due to civil war, natural disasters e.g. fuego, lack of economic opportunity, transmigratns who stay in mexico.
Spain; former Spanish colony so shares similar culture and traditions, Spanish recession: entrepreneurs go to mexico for better work
current patterns of immigration and emigration in USA
Migrate to USA:
Mexico: wages 10 x higher, neighbours, chain migration, historical reasons.
India: attracted to study for a degree at uni, skilled migrants are offered a visa or green card (75% have a uni degree).
China: form the biggest group n of international students, 50% have uni degree, same as India.
Philippines: former us colony, highly educated, us naval bases here.
emigrate from usa:
Mexico: family ties, US maqulias or entrepreneurs, american retirees go here: lower cost of living.
Europe: Americans take up high skill jobs, take adv of free trade area, no language barrier, professional jobs, high salaries.
Israel: Jewish diaspora community developed in usa after ww2, american jews now want to return to israel.
migration policies in USA
- visa system and a green card system, gives a migrant right to live and work permanently.
Immigration and naturalisation act: worldwide limit of 650,000 permanent immigrants: - 1 reunify families: 480,000 available
- 2 admission of migrants with high skills: 140,000
- 3 protect refugees: 70,000
- 4 diversity: 50,000
- 5 humanitarian relief: temporary visas are available each year.
impacts of migration: oppurtunities
opportunities:
social: multicultural society and diversity: new cultures, food etc.
Economic: immigrants take low paid jobs providing contributions to GDP. less educated migrants work in domestic services. 2016: immigrants founded 25% of high tech companies with >$1m in sales. US policies attract highly skilled and qualified migrants. Most immigrants are young - helps ageing pop. Immigrants are consumers, immigrants raise american GDP by $37 billion a year.
Political: non
impacts of migration: challenges
social: estimated that pop of usa will be 459 million by 2050: overcrowded and sustainability will be threatened. Some immigrants face language barriers, 69% of Mexicans have poor English language skills.
economic: many immigrants are willing to work for lower wages some studies estimate that immigration caused a 1.1% drop in wages. Between 2000-10, US taxpayers spent $90 billion on securing us-Mexican border, 1200 national guard troops deployed.
POlitical: 11.5 million unauthorised migrants (6m mexicans) in USA. Supply issues where immigrant pops are concentrated and numerous. Children seperated from families of illegal migrants and held in detention centres in 2018 under trumps policy.Trump constantluy portrayed mexicans as drug dealers, criminals and rapists in public speeches = xenophobia.
