Migration Geography - Research Paper Example

Push/pull factors to the factors driving Latin American immigration to the U.S. today This section compares and contrasts between the push/pull factors to the factors driving Latin American immigration (both documented and undocumented) to the U.S. today. Push factors basically involve the motives for emigrating from one’s country of origin. With economic migration (usually labor migration), wage rate differentials are quite prominent. It is notable that Latin Americans might choose to migrate from their country to another country, especially the United States due to higher wages that what they can get in their native country, as long as the costs of such migration are not too high.

In the 19th century, the economic expansion of the United States led to a huge rise in the flow of immigrants, and approximately one fifth of the population was foreign-born as against the present values of about ten percent. This makes up a significant part of the labor force. There are also some non-economic push factors like oppression, persecution (both religious and otherwise), war, genocide and frequent abuse. In some cases, migration occurs due to personal reasons, or as a result of wanting to be with family relatives or a partner.

In some cases, people may migrate from their country to another country due to a form of ‘transferred patriotism’. Migration may also result for the wish to avoid arrest, and this is seen to be a personal motivation. Migration of this kind illegal, especially if the crime in question is internationally recognized. Thus, criminals may then try to hide their identity or seek other loopholes in an attempt to avoid detection. (Immigration and Naturalization Service. 2001) One major force pushing Latin American immigrants into the United States is the difference between the aspirations of these Latin Americans and the scant opportunities in their countries of origin, as against the belief that absolute poverty is the main reason for migration.

“Barriers to immigration come not only in legal form; natural and social barriers to immigration can also be very powerful.” (Barnard, Alexander, 2007). In most cases, when these immigrants leave their country, they also leave everything familiar to them behind, including their culture, families and friends. The Census of 2010 indicated that there were about 50.5 million Latin Americans in the United Sates, making up about 16 percent of the total population. Historically, there have been periods of shared interests in which migratory flows have been promoted.

Immigration legislation in the United States is now more restrictive than in previous decades, and this is due to a growing concern in the United States about the high level immigration from Latin American countries. (Durand, Jorge, Douglass Massey, Rene Zenteno, 2001). United States immigration policy as it concerns undocumented migration from Latin America Latin American migration into the United States of America represents a major area of contention in bilateral relations between Latin American countries and the United States.

In spite of United States immigration laws that many perceive to be very restrictive, Latin American countries have remained the highest producers of legal and illegal migrants into the United States. Initially, the United States encouraged migration from