‘Case study of one AC to show how it influences and drives change in the global migration
system. Illustrate economic, political and social factors which explain:
• patterns of emigration and immigration, migration policies, and
interdependence with countries linked to it by migration
• opportunities, such as labour supply
• challenges, such as border issues.
REMITTANCES
USA -> Mexico: $30bn Mexico -> USA: $1.8bn USA -> China: $16bn
China -> USA: $150mil USA -> India: $12bn India -> USA: $6mil
USA -> Nigeria: $7bn Nigeria -> USA: Unknown
Historically…
Pre 1928: Open 1924: Strict (‘whites only’) 1965: Open (caps expanded)
90s-00s: Stricter (barriers and fences built) 2014: More Open (immigration reform)
2017: Stricter (‘Muslim travel ban’) 2021: More Open (Travel ban scrapped)
Current policy: 480,000 reunification visas, up to 140,000 employment/skills visas per year,
85,000 refugees and 55,000 diversity visas
Immigration to the USA:
Challenges Opportunities
Barriers such as traffic checkpoints, 0.03% of GDP is due to undocumented
transportation checks and drones migrants
Poor perception of immigrants in the US Diasporas such as ‘East LA’ is 97% Latino
Border management costs $4.7bn Migrants can do ‘undesirable’ jobs
(increased ten-fold in 30 years)
Mexican immigrants are more likely (67%) Mexicans participate in the labour force
to be less proficient in English compared to more so than native and foreign populations
other foreign born immigrants (48%) MX: 69%, Immigrants: 66% US: 62%. MX
mostly in construction/services
Mexican households are more likely to be in Interdependence as the US and Mexico
poverty (21%) both benefit, earning money/getting workers
Concentrations of community can lead to Mexicans act as consumers and may start
stress on resources businesses
Latinos have the lowest voter turn-out of Diversity and culture such as the Day of the
any group in the US Dead Festival