Transcript Europe
KEY ISSUE 3: WHY DO MIGRANTS FACE OBSTACLES Governments Place Legal Restrictions on Migration • Immigration laws – laws that restrict or allow migration of certain groups into a country. – Quotas limit the number of migrants from each region into a country. – A country uses selective immigration to bar people with certain backgrounds from entering. Immigration Policies of Host Countries • United States uses a quota system – Era of unrestricted immigration ended when Congress passed the Quota Act of 1921 and the National Origins Act of 1924 and was designed to ensure most immigrants were from Europe – Current law-620,000, no more than 7% from any one country. ¾ are admitted to reunify families – Remaining 1/4 are skilled workers and talented professionals – Quota does not apply to refugees – Asians make good use of law, skilled workers come, then bring families who bring wider range of families through chain migration Post-September 11 BRAIN DRAIN-large scale emigration by most talented people • US and Western Europe contribute to this by drawing the most talented individuals from a country • Most seeking employment are young, welleducated people lured to economic growth • Percentage of college educated Haitians living abroad was 84%!!! 47% of Ghana, 45% in Mozambique Guest Workers • Guest workers – migrants whom a country allows in to fill a labor need, assuming the workers will go “home” once the labor need subsides. - have short term work visas - send remittances to home country -typically those who obtain jobs in Europe and the Middle East Europe’s Guest workers • 700,000 immigrants enter Europe legally each year along with about 500,000 illegally • Primarily from Northern Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Asia • Low paid by European standards; taking lowstatus, low-skilled jobs • Reduces unemployment in home country and puts foreign currency into local economy • Germany—Turks; France-former colonies Distinguishing between refugees and economic migrantsCuba/Haiti/Vietnam • US has regarded Cubans as political refugees since 1959 (Castro’s Communist revolution) • Took over privately owned banks, farms, factories, etc. political opponents jailed. • More than 600,000 came in years following impacting southern Florida • 1980 Mariel boatlift—2nd wave of immigrants came when Castro released prisoners and mental patients. (more than 125,000) Haiti • Just after Mariel boatlift, many Haitians came to the US • Dictators Papa Doc (Francois Devalier) and Baby Doc (Jean-Claude Devalier) harshly persecuted political opponents • US government drew distinction because Cuba was Soviet ally • US immigration would not let people in boats come aboard and the Haitians sued and won • After a 1991 coup, many Haitians came and claimed political asylum • US decided most came for economic reasons Vietnam • After Vietnam war, many Pro-US Southern Vietnamese were persecuted • They tried to leave by boat and were thus called “boat people” • Would drift into the South China Sea and hope to be rescued by a US naval vessel • Some would not be taken aboard • Second surge in the late 80s went to other Asian countries; Thailand especially sent them back to sea • Many placed in detention camps until 1996 when returned to Vietnam US Attitudes toward Immigrants • Always regarded new arrivals with suspicion, but accepting during 19th century b/c immigrants were taming the west • Opposition intensified toward Poles, Italians, Russians and Southern Europeans in early 1900s • Now denial of undocumented immigrants services in several states Attitudes Toward Guest Workers • Many Europeans dislike them and oppose programs to improve their living conditions • In Middle East, workers must marry abroad and can’t work if they have families • Anti-immigrant arguments/politicians seductive to many voters Economic Opportunities In late 1800s and early 1900s, Chinese migrated throughout Southeast Asia to work in trade, commerce, and finance. Key Issue 4 Why do people migrate within a country? Interregional migration—migration between regions of a country • Settling of the American west is one of the most famous examples of large-scale internal migration • Changing center of population (the average location of everyone in a country; center of population gravity) pattern of moving west and south after 1790 • Population center didn’t change throughout the colonial period National Migration Flows • Also known as internal migration Early Settlement of the Interior • Settlement of the interior begins after 1790 as a result of opportunity for large amounts of land for low price • In early 1800s transportation improvements, mainly canals, made it easier to go west • For much of the 19th century settlement stopped at the 98th meridian because it was declared unfit for farming • Ironically, this region is one of the world’s richest farmland 98th dotted/100th solid Settlement of the Great Plains • After 1880, population center shifts slower – immigration from Europe offset western migration – because of filling in the area between California and the 98th meridian • Advancing agricultural technology made it possible for Great Plains to be cultivated • Expansion of railroads began in 1840/they sold land acquired from government • Gold rush in mid 1800s • In 1980, the population center jumped the Mississippi for the first time ever Recent Growth of the South • 1920s center began to move southward also • During the 1980s and 90s, 4 million people a year moved into the South from the Northeast, Midwest, and West for job opportunities—to the “sunbelt” from the “rustbelt”. African American Migration • During the 20th century, large number of African Americans migrate to Northeast, Midwest, and West for jobs • It equals in the 1990s whereas North to South was much higher for whites • Presently, migration patterns differ little between races; internal migration has slowed due to less difference in regional employment opportunities Migration between Regions in other countries Russia-government policies to encourage interregional migration • Interregional migration important in developing Soviet Union • Established factories near raw materials and didn’t have enough workers • Needed to develop far North because of rich resources • Did force people to migrate but later changed to incentive programs • Many just moved back because of the harsh climate • Now government officials no longer dictate locations of industry Brazil • Most of Brazil’s most populous cities are on Atlantic coast while interior is sparsely populated • Moved capital to Brasilia in the interior • Growth slow at first because officials resented the move • But now, many have moved in search of work • Indonesia—government paid for people to move from Java to other islands • Europe—trends depend on country and where economic opportunities are • India—an example when a government limits ability to Migrate; must have a permit to migrate or even visit the State of Assam Intraregional Migration—migration within a region • Migration from rural to urban – Most prominent type of intraregional migration; less than 5% lived in urban areas in 1800 compared to nearly half today – In MDCs about ¾ of people live in urban areas – Migration has increased dramatically in LDCs to urban areas – Pushed by declining agricultural opportunities and pulled by job opportunities – Housing is in issue in many LDC urban areas • migration from urban to suburban – Most of migration in MDC happens in this way – Drawn by suburban lifestyle – Transportation allows people to live in the suburban area but work in the urban area – As a result, farms on the periphery are being converted to suburban land use. Intraregional Migration in the U.S. Fig. 3-14: Average annual migration among urban, suburban, and rural areas in the U.S. during the 1990s. The largest flow was from central cities to suburbs. • Migration from Metropolitan to Nonmetropolitan— net migration from urban to rural is called counterurbanization – Trend in late twentieth century – Represents some difficulty distinguishing from rural and suburb but most is genuine migration from suburbs and urban areas to small towns and rural communities – Moving for a desire to change lifestyle – sometimes can be retirees – Not common in US because the economy of small towns and rural areas not attractive – Farming suffering / industry located in rural areas suffering