Latin American Migration

Migrating vs. Immigrating

• To migrate means to leave one’s own country• To immigrate means to move to a new

country– In other words: I would migrate away from the

United States, but would be immigrating to the Bahamas!

A migrant in this bowl…

An immigrant in this bowl!

Latin Americans: The Largest Immigrant Group in the US

• During the 1980s, 8 million immigrants came from Latin America– Nearly equal to the total figure of European

immigrants who came to the U.S. during early 1900s

• U.S. Census Bureau states that there are an estimated 31 million Latinos in the United States, comprising about 11.2 percent of the total population

Changes in the ethnic composition of the U.S. society

1945

European DescentAfrican AmericanLatinoAsian

1995

European DescentAfrican AmericanLatinoAsian

3.3%10.2%10.2%

73.6%

By 2050

European DescendentAfrican AmericanLatinoAsian

The Top “Sender” Countries1. Mexico2. Dominican Republic3. Cuba 4. Jamaica5. Haiti6. El Salvador7. Colombia 8. Peru

Push-Pull Factors: What causes people to move?

• Push Factors: People flee to new regions because of conflicts, natural disasters

• Pull Factors: People are “drawn” to new regions because of different opportunities elsewhere, such as economic or political/religious freedoms

Voluntary or Forced Migration?

• Voluntary: free choice• Forced: not your choice–Slavery–Refugees

Main reasons for Migrating

• Push Factors: – Not enough jobs– Few opportunities for advancement– Political fear or persecution– Poor medical care– Natural disasters

Main reasons for Migrating• Pull Factors– Job opportunities – Better living conditions – Political and/or religious freedom – Education – Better medical care– Family links – Industry

Mexico & US Relations: A Brief History• Many Mexican-Americans can trace their

ancestry not only to Spanish, but also to the Mestizos who have Native American and Spanish blood and who settled in the lands from Florida to California.– They did not immigrate, but were granted

American citizenship when Mexico was forced to cede the territory they lived on on after the Mexican-American war in 1848 (NM, CO, AZ, CA)

Mexico & US Relations: A Brief History

• From 1880-1900, the Southwest experienced an economic boom following the establishment of the railroads in Mexico and the Southwest. 127,000 Mexicans were recruited to work with United States railroad companies

Mexico & US Relations: A Brief History

• In the early 20th century (1910-1919), employers in the United States continued recruiting and transporting Mexican workers because:– Chinese & Japanese immigration had been halted– Shortage of European immigrants during World War I– This all changed with the Great Depression and a

“repatriation” of 500,000 Mexican Americans (many native born) was conducted by President Hoover

Please…• Read the article on the trends of Latin

American immigration to the United States. – For each of the six countries discussed, summarize

the push/pull factors for individuals who chose to leave the country addressed.