Migration
Salinas, CA Haitian Refugees
Migration
• Long term relocation to a new location
outside the community of origin
Immigration
• Migration inward to a location
Emigration
• Migration outward of a location
American Migration Facts
• 10,000,000 illegal immigrants in the U.S.
• Largest # of commuters in the world;
Washington, DC 100 miles per day!
• On average, American citizens move once
every 6 years.
Top 10 Countries of Origin for
US Legal Immigrants, 1998
0 50000 100000 150000
Mexico
China
India
Philippines
Dominican Republic
Vietnam
Cuba
Jamaica
El Salvador
Korea
Slide graphic courtesy of Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Hofstra University
Illegal Aliens in the United States by
Country of Origin, 1996 (in 1,000s)
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
Mexico 2700
El Salvador 335
Guatemala 165
Canada 120
Haiti 105
Philippines 95
Honduras 90
Poland 70
Nicaragua 70
Bahamas 70
Slide graphic courtesy of Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Hofstra University
Immigrants into the U.S.
• Many immigrants provide remittance to
home country. (Haiti GDP 15%)
• Majority of legal migrants for Canada
are recruited from Mexico
• Immigration laws are funny and for
certain groups. (Cubans: Wet-foot, Dry-
foot)
Types of Migration
• Internal Migration
– Within one country.
– Crossing domestic
jurisdictional boundaries.
– Movements between
states or provinces.
– Little government
control.
– Factors:
• Employment-based.
• Retirement-based.
• Education-based.
• Civil conflicts (internally
displaced population).
Ex: Peruvians moving from rural parts
to Lima (city).
Types of Migration
• International
Migration
– Between countries
– Crossing country
borders
– More gov’t control.
– Factors:
• Economic
• Family
• Political conflicts
Circular Migration
• Takes us on a
journey and brings
us back-over short
time span.
• What you do within
these distances is
your activity space
• Nomads are
considered circular
(action is repeated)
Spring Summer
Fall / Winter
Periodic Movement
• Involves returning
home, HOWEVER,
consider it to be
where one spends
the majority of their
time.
• Transhumance-
Pastoral farming
based upon
seasonal availability • Also college or migrant
of pastures work
Types of Migration
• Voluntary migration
– The migrant makes the decision to move.
– Most migration is voluntary.
– Military (10 Million Americans)
Forced Migration
-Involuntary migration in which the mover has no role in
the decision-making process.
-Slavery.
-About 12-30 million African slaves were brought to the
Americas between 1519 and 1867.
-In 1860, there were close to 4 million slaves in the
United States.
-In early 20th century, African Americans moved
North.
-Refugees
-Military conscription.
-Children of migrants.
-Situations of divorce or separation.
-Australian convicts
Irish potato famine is considered both voluntary and
forced
Why do people migrate?
• Push Factors-Reasons to leave
• Pull Factors-Reasons attracting to a place
instead of another place
Major International Migration Patterns, Early 1990s
Push-Pull Trends
• Men traditionally have more
employment choices and income.
• Males tend to migrate farther and are
more mobile than women.
• Push ex: 50,000 Asians left Uganda
when dictator took power.
• Push ex: Montserrat: volcanoes
Ravenstein Laws
• Inverse relationship b/w migration and distance b/w
the source & destination
Says migrants who go longer distances tend to
choose big-city destinations.
Is…# of migrants decreases as the distance of travel
increases.
-Idea is called the Gravity Model.
Colonial Migration
• Colonizers and exploration heavily
influence migration patterns
Britain
• Stimulated migration of S. Asians to
Singapore, Fiji, and Trinidad (islands of
development)
• Also stimulated Chinese migration to SE
Asia (are now minority)
• Migration reached peak in 1835-1935.
Africa
• Geographic realm most effected by the
refugee problems.
• Zanzibar (E. Africa) involved in slave
trading to Islamic regions.
SW Asia
• Afghanistan Civil war caused Soviet
Union to get involved, caused many
refugees.
• After Gulf War, Kurds in the North were
forced to leave Iraq (Saddam Hussain)
• 2.5 million Afghanis counter migrated to
Iran when Taliban took power in
Afghanistan
Europe
• Collapse of Yugoslavia in 1995 caused
large refugee crisis.
World Migration Routes Since 1700
European
African (slaves)
Indian
Chinese
Japanese
Majority of population descended from immigrants
Slide graphic courtesy of Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Hofstra University
SE Asia
• Largest # of migrants from
Myanmar/Burma due to…
S Asia
• Sri Lanka refugees because of Tamil
Tigers.
S. America
• Columbia in 1997
• Fortified barriers. Examples?
Selective Migration
• Excluding people with criminal records,
health problems, or political beliefs not
in line with the accepting country.
• Many countries practice this
• Is it discrimination?
U.S. Immigration Policies
1882, Bars Asian immigration for ten years (extended)
1921, Quota Act - country by country quotas (Europe)
1924 National Origins Act - country by country quotas
1965, Immigration Act - quotas for countries replaced, in 1968,
with hemisphere quotas of 170, 000 for East and 120,000 for West
1978, Immigration Act - global quota of 290, 000
1980, Refugee Act - quotas do not apply to those seeking political
asylum
1986, Immigration Reform and Control Act admitted large numbers
of former illegal.
1990, Immigration Act raised global quotas to roughly 675,000
1995, visas issued Preferentially:
– 480,000 - to relatives of people here
– 140,000 - to those with special skills and education
– 55,000 - to diversity candidates (i.e., mostly not from
Latin Amer. or Asia)
Current Total: 675,000
Key Term: Forced Migration
Forced Migration
The Trail of Tears, 1838
Slaves Reaching British North
America, 1601-1867 (in 1,000s)
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1601- 1676- 1701- 1726- 1751- 1776- 1801- 1826- 1851-
1650 1700 1725 1750 1775 1800 1825 1850 1867
Slide graphic courtesy of Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Hofstra University
U.S. Immigration
Prior to 1840, 90% of U.S.
immigration was from Britain
Ellis Island National Monument
Two Big Waves:
1840 - 1930: W. and N. European transitioning to Southern
and Eastern European by 1910
– Irish (potato famine in 1840s) and Germans
– During 1900s: Italians, Russians, Austria-Hungary (Czech, Poland,
Romania, etc.)
1950 - Today: Asians and Latin Americans; declining Europeans
– Asians: China, India; 1980s -1990s: Phillipines, Vietnam, and South
Korea
– Latin America: Mexico, Dom. Rep., El Salvador, Cuba, Haiti
1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act admitted former
illegals in 1990, 1991.
U.S. Migration
Prior to 1840, 90% of U.S.
immigration was from Britain
Three trends:
Ellis Island National Monument
Destinations of U.S. Immigrants - ethnic
neighborhoods often result of chain migration
– Mexicans: California, Texas, Illinois, New York
– Caribbean: Florida or New York
– Chinese and Indians: New York & California
– Other Asians: California
– Armenians: ????
US Population by Race and
Ethnicity, 1990-2050
100% 3.6 6.3 7 9
11.7
12.1 13
14
80% 9
12.5
18
24
60% Asian/Other
Black
Hispanic
40% 75.6 White
69.1
62
53
20%
0%
1990 2000 2025 2050
Slide graphic courtesy of Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Hofstra University
Population Pyramid of Native and Foreign Born
Population, United States, 2000 (in %)
Foreign Born Native
Male Female Age Male Female
85+
80-84
75-79
70-74
65-69
60-64
55-59
50-54
45-49
40-44
35-39
30-34
25-29
20-24
15-19
10-14
5-9
0-4
8 6 4 2 0 2 4 6 8 8 6 4 2 0 2 4 6 8
Percent Percent
Slide graphic courtesy of Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Hofstra University
Migration by Major Metropolitan Areas in
the United States, 1990-98 (in 1,000s)
-1750 -1250 -750 -250 250 750 1250
New York
Los Angeles
San Francisco
Chicago
Miami
Atlanta
Las Vegas
Phoenix
Immigration
Portland
Net domestic
migration Denver
Slide graphic courtesy of Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Hofstra University
The Ten Fastest-Growing Metropolitan
Areas, 1990–2000
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000; 1990 Census. Web: www.census.gov
Population Change, 1990–2000
Metropolitan area April 1, 1990 April 1, 2000 Number Percent
Las Vegas, Nev., Ariz. 852,737 1,563,282 710,545 83.3%
Naples, Fla. 152,099 251,377 99,278 65.3
Yuma, Ariz. 106,895 160,026 53,131 49.7
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Tex. 383,545 569,463 185,918 48.5
Austin-San Marcos, Tex. 846,227 1,249,763 403,536 47.7
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Ark. 210,908 311,121 100,213 47.5
Boise, Idaho 295,851 432,345 136,494 46.1
Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz. 2,238,480 3,251,876 1,013,396 45.3
Laredo, Tex. 133,239 193,117 59,878 44.9
Provo-Orem, Utah 263,590 368,536 104,946 39.8
Interregional Migrations
U.S. population has been moving Westward and
Southward
Gold Rush (1849) and Donner Party just the most dramatic
examples of hardship.
– Wells, Pumps, Aqueducts, Mosquito Control and Air Conditioning have
allowed this move which otherwise would be impossible.
Loss of Industrial Jobs in east compliments increase in
Sunbelt service sector (biotech, communications).
Voluntary African-American Migrations
Blacks moved to Industrial Belt (i.e., Chicago, New York, Detroit) and Los
Angeles during World Wars (labor shortages).
Intraregional Migrations in U.S.
U.S. population has been moving out of the city centers to
the suburbs: suburbanization and counterurbanization
Developed Countries:
suburbanization
automobiles and
roads
‘American Dream’
better services
counterurbanization
idyllic settings
cost of land for
retirement
slow pace, yet high
tech connections to
services and markets
U.S. intraregional migration during 1990s.
Intraregional Migrations in LDCs
Populations in the less developed world are rushing to
cities in search of work and income.
Rank City Population
Urbanization 1 Tokyo, Japan 28 million
migration from rural areas 2
3
New York City, United States
Mexico City, Mexico
20.1 million
18.1 million
lack of jobs in countryside 4 Mumbai, India (Bombay) 18 million
lack of services in cities 5 Sao Paulo, Brazil 17.7 million
6 Los Angeles, United States 15.8 million
Tokyo, Los Angeles, and 7 Shanghai, China 14.2 million
New York only MDC cities 8 Lagos, Nigeria 13.5 million
on top 10 list 9 Kolkata, India (Calcutta) 12.9 million
10 Buenos Aires, Argentina 12.5 million
Lagos, Nigeria Mumbai, India Mexico City, Mexico