MIGRATION-USA Flashcards
Where is the USA located?
-North America
-North of Mexico and south of Canada
-West to the Atlantic ocean
What are some facts about migration in the USA?
-A strong influence on global migration
-In 2018 44.7 million immigrants living in the USA (13.7% of total population)
-Immigrants from
Mexico 25%
India 6%
China 6%
Philippines 4%
Puerto Rico 3.5%
Why do so many people want to migrate to the USA?
-Employment opportunities for low and middle skilled workers
-Educational opportunities and access to services like health care
-Wage differentials and ability to send remittances
-Possibility of permanent residency (Green card
-Family reunification
-Admission for refugees
What are the current patterns of immigration and emigration within the US?
-The USA is a country of net migration gain, but in 2018 there were 4.8 million US citizens living abroad and the number is growing
-The main destinations were Mexico, Canada, UK, Puerto Rico, Germany, Australia and Israel
-This is explained to a large extent by the return of migrants such as Mexicans and other Latin American families and their American-born children
-. In addition, a number of highly skilled workers in education, IT and communications have migrated to countries with political, economic and historical ties such as Canada, the UK and other EU countries
What are the migration policies in the USA?
-USA Law = The immigration and Naturalisation Act
which allows around 675,000 permanent immigrants per
year who are given visas to remain, a green card
-480,000 permanent visas are available for individuals who want to reunite with family members who are already permanent residents
-140,000 are available to highly skilled workers, normally who have a job offer
-45,000 for refugees (although this can change year to year)
-50,000 are drawn randomly to increase diversity, through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Programme – These are drawn from places with low rates of migration to the USA and recently many go to people from African nations
What is evidence of social interdependence within the USA?
In 2018 over 38.5 million Mexicans lived in the USA and the 2010 Mexican census uncovered 738,100 Americans in Mexico. each of the 2 counties has its largest diaspora living in the other; there is growing social and cultural connectivity
What is evidence of economic interdependence within the USA?
Low skilled Mexicans, many illegal contribute to teh US economy by working in agriculture, construction and low paid services. Wages are much higher than in Mexico, providing opportunities for remittances- which via formal channels amounted to US$25.2 billion in 2015, 2.2% of Mexico’s GDP
What is evidence of political interdependence within the USA?
Since the formation of NAFTA, bilateral trade between the USA and Mexico has grown significantly. Reciprocal merchandise trade alone accounts for US$1.4 billion per day. Mexican industry has benefited, for example development of aerospace and IT sectors has been boosted mainly by FDI from the USA
What is evidence of environmental interdependence within the USA?
Political power relations remain imbalanced but increasingly there has been coordination and cooperation over issues in common. These include border security, the drug trade, human trafficking and environmental issues such as water scarcity. There is joint management of the Colorado river basin and the ecology of the Sonoran desert.
What are the opportunities created by international migration?
- Immigrant populations take many of the low-paid jobs which native-born Americans find unattractive. In 2018, the main employment of Mexican immigrants was in services (29%), natural resources, construction and manufacturing (26%), production and transport (21%) - providing significant contributions to GDP and US economic growth.
- US immigration policy also aims to attract highly skilled and well-qualified professionals. This includes ‘Persons of extraordinary ability’ in the arts, science, education, business or athletics; outstanding professors, researchers and some multinational executives. In 2018, the main employment of immigrants from both China (54%) and India (76%) was in business and science.
- Most immigrants to the USA are in the young working age groups (Figure 7.20). This is of economic (e.g. contributing to the tax base) and social benefit in a country where crude birth rate has declined and population is ageing.
- Immigrants are consumers themselves which helps job creation and business start-ups, and generates wealth.
What are the challenges created by international migration?
• An estimated 10.9 million unauthorised immigrants (4.9 million Mexican) live in the USA. Many migrants from other Latin American countries are attempting to cross via the land route using Mexico as a transit country. The US Department of Homeland Security has tightened its southern maritime, southern land and west coast borders (www.dhs. gov/) with more Border Patrol Agents. And in December 2015 Congress passed new immigration bills strengthening the legal mechanisms for Refugee Security Screening, and Counter- Terrorism.
• There has been uneven progress in the integration of immigrant groups into US society. This depends on the size and diversity of the various immigrant groups and factors such as language, socio-economic attainment, political participation, residential location and social interactions. The size of the unauthorised population is also a barrier to social cohesion and full economic and political integration.
• Where immigrant populations are particularly concentrated and numerous, supply of resources and services has become an issue, for example, adding to demand for water supply in southern California (Figure 7.21)
