Mexican Immigrants And The United States

Immigration has always been a complex issue in the United States. Previous and current administrations have had great difficulties in setting policies and programs in place to address this problem. During the course of American history, laws were enacted to address such issues. There were numerous legislative milestones in regards to immigration in the United States. In order to understand the current issues regarding immigration, we have to look back at the policies that were in place along with the goals that they intended to serve. According to (Barusch, 2012), the United States had an open immigration policy; which means that anyone could relocate to this country. As a result of this policy, the government had to redefine

Latin American immigrants are not just concentrated to one area of the country. Cubans mostly live in Florida, while Puerto Ricans live in the northeast, and Mexicans mostly live in the southwest (Chavez, et al, 2005: 508). Their main destinations in the United States could be based on the geographic locations of their home countries. They settle in the area of the United States that is the closest to their country of origin. The formation of ethnic enclaves is common among immigrants because it connects them to their home country. They are able to livie among people who speak the same language, or in this case the same dialect, prepare the same food, and have the same cultural values. This spatial distancing is further proof of separate ethnic identities. Immigrants tend to live within groups of people from their own countries, not just with people who identify as Latino. By living with people from their home countries, immigrants maintain connections with where they came from.

Hispanic immigration to the United States stems primarily from uniquely developed push-pull migration mechanisms in which “interplay of national, regional, and global economic developments, the history of U.S. military and foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere, the checkered history of international border enforcement and interdiction efforts, and, not least, the aspirations of Latin American migrants and potential migrants themselves” (Gutierrez). In other words, migration from Latin American to the United States shouldn’t have been consistent, however, there are several factors that triggered massive waves of such.

There are many vulnerable populations within the United States. One of the many vulnerable populations are undocumented immigrants. Undocumented immigrants also known as illegal immigrants according to Wikipedia (2016) is defined as “the migration of people across national boarders in a way that violates the immigration laws of the destination country” (para 1). The United States of America has one of the largest population of immigrants. In this paper, I will be discussing the multiple stressors related to undocumented immigrants as well as the programs that can be used to help alleviate those stressors.

Coming from a life of poverty and despair would be enough cause for anyone to search for a better life; a life in which there is a belief that all of your biggest dreams can come true. This is the belief that many immigrants have about the United States. They naively believe for it to be the “land of opportunity”. Originally the United States was founded and settled by immigrants. Many immigrants, such as Mexicans, Eastern Europeans, Jews, and others from countries around the world came to America to escape war, poverty, famine, and/or religious prosecution. Some also chose to immigrate to take advantage of the opportunities and promises that America held. One such major group of people is Mexicans. Being a border line country neighbor to

Day in and day out many immigrants enter the United States of America in search of greener pastures. This greener pasture includes higher educational prospects and lucrative jobs. However, life usually does not turn out as many of them usually anticipate. The expectation they usually have prior to their entry to the United States is partly due to the all rosary and nice things they hear about America. They hear such nice things from the media and also from diaspora’s who return from America to their homeland who usually don’t share their entire experiences with them. There have been quite a number of reports and research findings that outline the various challenges that are faced by immigrants in America. I personally share some of these issues as an international student in a foreign country. Prior to coming to Metropolitan State University, I had colleagues who told me about the school and their excellent environments that facilitate learning. Also other friends who were in America made me aware of the opportunity to work alongside schooling which made me more interested as I needed financial aid. With all these palatable information in mind, I did apply for the school and even though the tuition fee was quite expensive considering my socio economic background, I did apply having the mindset of working to meet up certain financial needs. Upon arrival in America, I realized that I was given a fraction of the entire picture. I wasn't allowed to work outside of campus,

Mexican’s are often labeled in American media to be uneducated laborers who do nothing to contribute to the growth of society. The reality is however, that these Mexican laborers who are faced with these preconceptions have contributed a lot to American society as can be seen in the novel "Latino in America" by Soledad O’Brien. This novel highlights the injustices Mexican’s face due to the medias view on them. In this novel Luis Ramirez, a resident of Shenandoah Pennsylvania, is killed in a hate crime committed by a group of white football players at a local high school. Ramirez’s mother wrote how her son always worked two jobs and cared for his

While Colombian immigrants are relative newcomers immigrating to the United States, their figures began to increase greatly during the last few decades. “By 2008, Colombians were the largest South American immigrant group in the United States, accounting for nearly thirty percent of all South Americans in the country” (Murnan). Like many of the other Latin American countries, Colombia’s political instability has played the biggest role in motivating people to leave the country and immigrate to the United States in search of a better and safer way of life. Colombia has, in fact, lacked political stability since it became independent from the Spanish Empire in 1819. Since their first arrival in the United States, Colombians have worked hard to establish their own identity among the many different Hispanic populations and to find their place within conventional America. However, despite this, many immigrants often suffer the effects of stereotyping and discrimination because of the many negative American perceptions of Colombia as a drug-trafficking, criminal country, even though a very tiny number of Colombians in the United States happen to engage in any of these illegal activities.

The United States of America constantly boasts about its homeland security system and the 1.6 million dollar budget it grants to immigrant and border control. However, in the past decade the number of illegal immigrants in the US has risen from around 4 million to 11.6 million. Its insane that the United States is spending the extremely generous sum of 1.6 million dollars on border control out of its 3.8 trillion dollar budget, and is seeing no return! Currently, about 3.5 million illegal immigrants are living in poverty and about 1.8 million of these immigrants are minors. However, we need not focus on these monstrous creatures troubles when they are harming us. Illegal immigrants cost the United States approximately 28.6 billion taxpayer dollars per year. These infested peoples continue to remain on our welfare and food stamp programs, and crowd our own hospitals just to save their illegal, costly lives. Whoever said, “nothing is worth more than a life,” must have never experienced our troubles! Fear not my fellow Americans, for any unintelligent creature can be easily manipulated, shown by Ivan Pavlov’s dogs being foolishly attracted to the sound of a useless bell.

Up to the present time, a strong connection exists between the Mexican and American labor markets most outstandingly the workforce market of California. By the year 1980, an approximate percentage of 20 percent of the California’s population was from Mexico. In the first part of the twentieth century, there was a colossal exodus of people from Mexico. It approximates that from the year 1910 to 1930, over 1.5 million Mexicans moved to the USA with about 40 percent moving to Northern California at least temporarily. In Mexico at around this period, there were disruptions from the military revolutions and the many rebellions taking place. Such factors effectively, “pushed” the Mexicans. They were also “pulled” to the United States owing to the improving and rising standards of living, mostly in the agricultural sector (Pries, 2004).

Nearly 11.6 million Mexican immigrants reside in America and nearly 70% of these are not naturalized citizens of the United States (migrationpolicy.org). Immigration is a major issue in American politics and it will only get bigger, with current presidential candidate Donald Trump seeing it as a major issue that cannot continue. However, despite many of these views Mexican immigrants should be granted amnesty (given they haven’t committed any past crimes) and more Mexican immigrants should be allowed in America.

Mexican Migration to the United States has been a key movement for Mexicans living in Mexico. The standard of living in Mexico just does not meet the requirements needed to stay, and raise a family there. Mexicans are seeking better opportunities and doing what is best for their families to support them. They often feel that migrating to the United States is the answer to their problems that they are experiencing in Mexico. Truth to the matter is that they are not happy with their living conditions in Mexico. It seems to be that there is more negative present than any other factors and it’s not getting better. Through research on these general statements, I plan to find the main reasons why Mexico is not an ideal location for living and what really are the influences that bring Mexicans over to the United States. I will also analyze the social and economic impacts Mexicans have in the United States as well.

Through studying immigration statistical data, it has been found that the highest percentage of mexican immigration has occurred on the most recent decades. However, there was a high percentage of mexican immigration on the years of the 1920s and the 1940s. These two decades were having an increase in mexican immigration due to the establishment of the Bracero Program. This program was started during the 1920s and again in the 1940s, but was later stopped in the 1960s. Between and after, these time periods, Mexican immigration into the United States was almost non-existent. After an increase in the 1920s, there was a tremendous decrease in the 1930s only to increase again in the 1940s. Then in the 1950s there was a huge decrease in the rate of Mexican immigrants entering the United States. Mexican immigration began to have an increased number of border crossings and travel into the United States after the economic crisis in the 1970s. From this decade to present day, mexican immigration in the United States is only doubling each decade. Between these time periods, however, there was almost no significant amount of immigration. The years of low rate of mexican immigration were in the 1930s, 1950s, and the 1960s.

Illegal immigration is a huge problem in America today. Over the last two centuries, the United States has seen a dramatic increase in illegal immigration. This increase has caused a host of problems ranging from a strain being put on public schools to an increase in crime to a strain being put on the US economy. In order to fix this, the States need to secure the borders and prevent more illegals from entering. If this problem is not fixed soon, there could be major consequences. The United States wants to open its arms to legal immigration; but there is no doubt that the system is in need of reform. But it is important to withhold the laws that govern this country, and protect the citizens who are here.

This paper discusses the history of immigration and the many laws that have formed because of it. It will also discuss the trials and tribulations we have faced with illegal immigration as well as the new reform that President Obama is trying to pass. The hospitality industry is one of the best examples of illegal aliens in the work place and how they can affect business and the economy.