Commack Schools



AP Human Geography Key Issue #4 - Why do migrants face obstacles?HistoricallyEnvironmentalLong, arduous, expensive passage over land or seaTodayCultural gaining permission to enter a new countryhostile attitudes of citizensImmigration policies of host countries41910005334000US Quota LawsUnrestricted immigration ended with Quota Act 1921 & National Origins Act 1924Established quotas for each country that had native-born people living in US – 2% of their # (based on 1910 census) could immigrate each yearLimited # of immigrants from Eastern Hemisphere to 150,000 per year – virtually all of whom had to be from EuropeContinued with minor changes until 1960sThe purpose was to keep immigrants European (Americans alarmed by millions of Asians coming to west coast)1965 – Immigration Act – eliminated quotas for individual countries; replaced by hemisphere quotas170,000 eastern hemisphere120,000 western hemisphereCurrent Law – 620,000 no more than 7% per country but lots of qualifications & exceptions# of applications exceeds quotasUS Congress has set up preferences? to reunify families (primarily spouses or unmarried kids of people living in US)Typical wait for a spouse is 5 yearsSkilled workers & exceptionally talented professionals get most of remaining ?Others come in by lottery under a diversity categoryQuota does not apply to refugees – unpredictable #s year to yearAsians – many enter under skilled worker preferences who then bring their families in under reunification status4572000254000Other countries charge that by giving preference to skilled worker immigration policies – US contributes to a BRAIN DRAIN which is large scale emigration by talented people 4105275-70485000Guest Workers in EuropeTemporary Migration for WorkEx. Guest Workers in Western Europe and Middle EastEurope protects them by minimum wage laws, labor union contracts & other support programsEx. Foreign born workers? labor force Luxembourg1/6th labor force Switzerland1/10th labor force Austria, Belgium, GermanyBetween 1999-2008 foreign born population in Spain from ? million to 5 ? millionIreland ? million to ? millionGuest Workers Role in Western EuropeTake low status, low skilled jobs that local residents will not acceptIn cities – provide essential services – drive buses, collect garbage, repair streets, wash dishes Low paid in Europe but paid more than at homePoor countries benefit – less unemployment – guest workers send large % of earnings home to families4113530254000Most in Europe come from North Africa, Middle East, Eastern Europe, AsiaHistorically – Time-Contract Laborers19th century – millions of Asians were recruited for fixed periods in mines or on plantations; many settled permanently in their new countries Ex. Chinese – US west coast – helped build coast to coast railroad 1869Distinguishing Between Economic Migrants & RefugeesCuba, Haiti, and Vietnam have sent 25,000/year to US in recent decadesEmigrants from Cuba1959 Cuban Revolution & its ramifications600,000 Cubans admitted to US right after revolution – south Florida – prominent in region’s economy and politic1980 – 2nd flood – Castro permitted political prisoners, criminals and mental patients to leave country125,000 left to seek political asylum in US – called “Mariel Boatlift” (port they left from)Beginning 1987 – allowed 20,000 Cubans to emigrate each year3771900-18097500Emigrants from HaitiAt same time, several thousand sailed on small vessels US refused them citing economic advancement rather than political asylumOppressive dictatorship Francois (Papa Doc) Duvalier 1957-71Jean-Claude (Baby Doc) 1971-1986US noted difference because Cuba was associated with Soviet Union – Cold WarHaitians sued US arguing if Cubans were let in, so should Haitians – US let some in1991 – coup replaced elected president Jean-Bertrand Aristide with Raoul Cedras – thousands fled againWestern Hemisphere’s poorest countryUS Attitudes Towards ImmigrantsAlways treated with suspicion19th century immigrants needed to settle frontier & extend US control over continentBy early 2oth century – frontier closed; therefore entry to US should be closedOpposition intensified when immigrants were no longer coming from N&W Europe1911 govt study said S&E Europeans were racially inferior, “inclined toward violent crime,” resisted assimilation, and “drove old stock citizens out of some lines of work”Today, California & other states have voted to deny unauthorized immigrants access to most public services, such as schools, day cares & health clinics341947525654000-60960012319000Attitudes Toward Guest WorkersEurope – poor social conditions; lonely life; purpose to send money to family; unfamiliar with host country’s language & culture; many hang out at local railway stations – read native language papers & mingle with other guest workersBoth GW & Host country regard this as temporaryMany Western Europeans oppose GW & trying to help themPolitical parties support restrictions on immigration esp. in France & GermanyAttacks on immigrants by local citizensAnti-Immigration Protest in SpainMiddle East fears increased GW will spark political unrest & abandonment of traditional Islamic customsAfter 1991 Gulf War – Kuwaiti officials expelled hundreds of thousands of Palestinian guest workers who had sympathized with Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990To minimize long term stays, Middle East forces migrants to return home if they wish to marry & prevent them from returning if they have wives and kidsSevere global recession has sharply reduced # of gws & economic migrantsRegional migration flows also center on reconnecting cultural groups across bordersEx. Jewish immigration to IsraelC. 1900 fewer than 50,000 Jewish residents lived in Palestine1919-1948 Great Britain mandate encouraged Jews to return to regionBy 1948 – 750,000 Jews lived in Palestine when UN intervened to partition area & established independent state of IsraelLed to another migration stream – 600,000 Palestinian Arabs fled or were pushed out of Israeli territoriesSought refuge in Jordan, Syria, Egypt, etc. ................
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