Introduction to Immigration

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Introduction to Immigration
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Lees Basic Migration Model
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Ravensteins Laws of Migration

• Ravenstein came up with his "laws" of migration
  in the 1880s based on studies carried out in the
  UK.
• Most migrants only go a short distance at one
  time.
• Long distance migrations are for those who come
  from large cities.
• Most migration is from rural areas to urban
  areas.
• Most international migrants consist of young
  males between the ages of 20 and 45.
• Most migrations proceed in step-by-step
  processes.
• Each migration flow produces at least one
  counterflow.
• Females remain more migratory than the males
  within their country.
• Migration increases in volume as industries
  develop and transportation improves.
• The economy is a major factor in migration.

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Zelinskys mobility transition model
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History of immigration in the US

• 60 mn people have entered since 1820.
• 1901-1910 highest recorded rate 8.75mn
  newcomers arrived.
• Sharply fell after 1914.
• 1924 national origins quotas introduced to
  reduce immigration rates, especially from eastern
  southern Europe. Largest quotas offered to
  British, Irish German immigrants (70 in
  total).
• Racist overtones led to abolition in 1965. The
  1965 Act set an annual limit of 120,000
  immigrants from the Western Hemisphere and
  170,000 from Eastern Hemisphere equal chance of
  acceptance.

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White Migration

• 1800-1910 40mn from Europe.
• Settled initially in the NE to work in industry
  and on the land. As the west opened up, movement
  took place westwards to California aided by the
  railways.
• Recent internal migration to Sunbelt of west
  and south for retirement and to new industrial
  growth and out of desire to move out fo the
  cities.
• Consequences brought capital, expertise
  labour.
• Rich cultural political mix, rising living
  standards, products shifted back to Europe
  helped further growth.

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Black Migration

• 1750-1850 15mn slaves from West Africa.
• After Civil War abolition of slavery, many
  moved to industrial cities in the North settled
  in black ghettos.
• Since 1945 move west to large metropolitan
  centres of California.
• Recent counter-migration back to the south
  attracted by oil and technology boom.
• Consequences Higher fertility rates than whites,
  rich labour source, culture, racial tension,
  discrimination, ghettos

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Consequences of policy changes

• Europe the major source region, has been
  overtaken since 1970 by the rest of the Americas
  by Asia.
• Economic recession reopened the debate, as 5mn
  immigrants arrived 1991-6. Some Americans argued
  the immigrants were taking scarce jobs, racial
  tensions were voiced as well as the impact on
  welfare system.
• 1993 Hardening attitudes 60 of Americans
  seeing the current levels as worrying.

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Spatially selective

• 1995 55 of all immigration was to just 4
  states California, NY, Florida Texas.
• Reasons
• Location of existing immigrant communities.
• Availability of employment in 4 most populous
  states.
• The land border with Mexico for California
  Texas Floridas proximity to Caribbean
  countries.
• (1/4 of Californians in 1997 were born outside
  the US, in LA it is 40, NY 16 and 9.5 is the
  US average)

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Recent migration trends

• West to California and south to Gulf states,
  partly a flow of retired people to warmer areas
  but much is due to more job opportunities.
• Decentralisation from large cities to the outer
  fringes and beyond.
• Recent immigration amounting to 8 mn mainly from
  Mexico and Puerto Rico to the South and West to
  work in agriculture.

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