9.5 Migration and Immigration in the 1990s and 2000s

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Explain the cuases and effects of domestic and international migration over time

INTRODUCTION

• Anti-immigration sentiment has risen & fallen throughout history

  • Immigrant population reached over 13% (2010s)

    - restrictions on immigration gained popularity again

    - evident in 2016 election

CHANGING IMMIGRATION POLICIES

• Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965

  • Ended racially based quota system

    - gave preference to potential immigrants w relatives in US

    - created new jobs critcal in department of labor

  • Opened up to non-european countries

    - Europe WW2 recovery—→ fewer Europeans migrating

    - Castro Cuba & Viewnam war—→ new refugeess

    - Hispanic population became largest minority group

    - dramtic changes in origins of immigrants (less Europeans)

• Immigration—→ population growth—→ economic growth

FEDERAL LEGISLATION

• Illegal immigrants became growing political issues

  • Immigration Reform and Control of Act

    - meant to create fair entry process into US

    - failed to stop people in search of work entering w/o authorizaton

    - criticized for granting amnesty to millions of immigrants

  • Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Repsonsibility Act

    - meant to reform process of admitting & removing immigrants

    - strengthened laws, law enforcement, & addressing migration

    - flow of people continued (private employers paid low illegally)

OBAMA IMMIGRATION POLICES

• Congress was unable to reach agreement on controlling immigration

  • Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

    - executive action under Obama

    - meant to protected undocumented youth

    - allowed them to continue in education & apply for work permit

    - faced challenges in expansion (blocked by states & judge)

    - Obama’s policy proved to be controversial

  • Obama’s immigration policy

    - increased border guards & deportations—→ decreased aliens

TRUMP IMMIGRATION POLICIES

• Dump was much tougher on immigration

  • Required Mexico to build border wall & stop migrants entering

  • Restricted legal immigration (limited green cards)

  • Prevented welfare from immigrants (first 5 years)

• Attack on immigration—→ discouraged migrants

  • War criticized for abandoning American tradtion

    - America is supposed to be welcoming & was built by immigrants

INFLUENCE OF THE AMERICAN SOUTH AND WEST

• 60% of Americans lived in South or West

  • Growing economic & political power—→ greater influence

    - affected traditional cultures

ECONOMIES

• Sun Belt was booming

  • Friendly business, small gov, low taxes, weak unions, low-wages

    - states improved on communication & transportation

    - desegregated public instutitons

    - oil grew states economically

    - military installations, defense indsutries, aerospace firms

    - nice weather—→ increased tourism (Cali, Vegas, Flordia)

POLITICAL POWER

• South & West increased political influence

  • Mostly conservative states

    - increased thier populations—→ more seats & votes

    - population & republlican shift (important in majorities)

  • Most US leadersip came from Sun Belt

    - previous president before Obama came from belt

    - Northeast & Midwest lost representation & fromer influence

CULTURAL CHANGE

• Culture of South & West became more influential

  • Country & western music became popular

  • Conservative attitudes spread

    - evangelical Protestants, gender issues, gun ownership

  • Cultures changes also spread

    - Hispanic population—→ Mexican Food, Catholics, Spanish

    - Americans migrated to other states for modifed culture

    - regions became more urban and cosmopolitian

AMERICAN SOCIETY IN 2000

• Fastest-growing regions of US continued to be South & West

  • 50% lived in suburbs, 30% in central cities, 20% rural

    - immigration made country more ethnically diverse

  • Falling birthrate & increase in life expectancy

    - created aging population (baby-boom generation began to age)

    - new concerns over health care, medicine, housing, & SS

  • Decline of traditional families

    - single-parent families were another cocnern

    - single woman headed families (mainly under 18)

    - children in these families often faced povery & less support