MIG - Immigration Lesson

Distribution of Migration, continued

Immigration from LDCs

  1. Immigration to the US slowed during the World Wars (1914-1919 and 1939-1945) and the Great Depression (1929 - 1939)
  2. In the 1950s and 1960s immigration spiked again with streams from South, East and Southeast Asia and Latin America
    1. The quotas which had been set on immigrants were reversed in the 1960s
      1. The limitations were no longer tied to the specific country or region of origin
    2. This opened the door to immigrants from China, Philippines, India and Vietnam
  3. In the late 20th century immigrants from Latin America began to enter the nation, both legally and illegally to search for economic opportunities
    1. More than half of the Latin American immigrants are from Mexico
    2. 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act
      1. Created work visas and legalized illegal immigrants already in the US

Number in the Thousands

Persons obtaining legal permanent resident status in the United States fiscal years 1820–2010
Year Year Year

1820

 8,385 1885 395,346 1950 249,187
1825 10,199 1890 455,302 1955 237,790
1830 23,322 1895 258,536 1960 265,398
1835 45,374 1900 448,572 1965 296,697
1840 84,066 1905 1,026,499 1970 373,326
1845 114,371 1910 1,041,570 1975 385,378
1850 369,980 1915 326,700 1980 524,295
1855 200,877 1920 430,001 1985 568,149
1860 153,640 1925 294,314 1990 1,535,872
1865 248,120 1930 241,700 1995 720,177
1870 387,203 1935 34,956 2000 841,002
1875 227,498 1940 70,756 2005 1,122,257
1880 457,257 1945 38,119 2010 1,042,625

Impact of Migration

  1. Over the span of our nation's history, the face of migration has changed drastically
    1. From Europeans in search of freedoms to Europeans in search of economic opportunities to citizens of LDCs in search of both
  2. Most people migrate during stage 2 (Migration Transition)
    1. Europeans continued to move to the US during the Industrial Revolution
  3. European culture spread with the migrants
    1. Language, religion, traditions
    2. Conflicts, slavery and wars based on religion and territory
  4. Migrants are not evenly distributed within the US
    1. Clustered in CA, NY, TX, FL and IL and urban areas
  5. Choice of location based on:
    1. Chain migration , following families and shared ethnic groups (can create cluster migration or ethnic enclaves)

Population with Chinese Origin in the US

Chinese Population with orgin in the US

Illegal Immigration

  1. Legal migration is at its highest level, but there are more people than visas
    1. People who enter without proper documentation are undocumented immigrants (illegal aliens)
    2. US Immigration Services (BCIS) estimates over 10 million undocumented immigrants
    3. Nations create immigration laws to limit movement
    4. Government acts allow for temporary work or education visas
      1. Because people are determined to enter so that they can send remittance back to their families they will use coyotes (people that are paid for transportation) to cross the border
      2. Some countries use amnesty programs to allow previously illegal immigrants to apply for citizenship

Review Activity

Net Migration Video

View the video below to learn more. To make the video full screen, select the double arrows at the bottom right corner of the object.

IMAGES CREATED BY GAVS (Table and Images are available in the Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons License Attribution)