Group 4: Iolanda, Abraham, Zainab, Angela, Ruby, Cynthia, Emmett, Sugam

Motives DDemand pull factor SSupply Push Factor EEstablish Networks Journey RRisk & Obstacles MMode of Transportation Challenges CCultural PPolitical EEconomical Long Term Effects AAssimilation/Acculturation IImmigrants affecting the U.S. Contents

 Immigration to the U.S. has been an ongoing process for centuries  US restrictions and policies have not stopped illegal immigration  Many flee because of armed conflicts, poverty, environmental degradation, or effects of natural disasters  Many migrants are individuals who are the main economic providers for their families.  Decision to migrate usually depends upon an arrangement within the family  Many have no jobs and no options in their country of origin

Motives for Emigration I. Demand / Pull Factors II. Supply / Push Factors III. Established Networks

Life on the Train Tracks Nobody can afford a train ticket, so they ride on the tops.

 Natural Environment  Climate  Terrain  Illness  Illegitimate Transportation  Train tops  Truck beds  Criminal Activity  Robbery  Sexual Assaults  Kidnapping  Murder  Gangs

Memorial on the Mexico-US border representing the 5000 people that have died on the border since 2000.

 Traveling from Honduras to get a better life.  Makes it to Mexico  Climbs Fence  Falls, Loses Leg  Lies in pain, waiting for help  Help arrives, in the form of young gang members who rob him.

 Cant find a job; decides to move to USA.  Pays coyote his savings of 2 whole years- $1400  Coyote robs him, drops him off in middle of desert.  Attempts to go by himself  Rides train tops.  Tragically loses hands.

 Culture  Housing  Employment  Assimilation  Acculturation

Learning the Language (English) Low Education Time Not Enough Resources No Guarantee

U.S. President George W. Bush recently said, “Part of the greatness of America is that we've been able to help assimilate people into our society... And part of that assimilation process is English. I believe this: If you learn English, and you're a hard worker, and you have a dream, you have the capacity from going from picking crops to owning the store, or from sweeping office floors to being an office manager.”

Struggles with Housing Social Connections Unaware of the laws Crowded Living Conditions Hazardous living conditions

 Landlords exploit immigrants.

Workplace Exploitation Unwanted jobs Low Wages Unsafe Conditions Harassment

About a quarter of the construction workers rebuilding New Orleans are illegal immigrants, who are getting lower pay, less medical care and less safety equipment than legal workers, according to a new study by professors at Tulane University and the University of California, Berkeley. University of California

 Definition: “ A natural process by which diverse ethnic groups come to share a common culture and to gain equal access to the opportunity structure of society; that this process consists of gradually deserting old cultural and behavioral patterns in favor of new ones; and that, once set in motion, this process moves inevitable and irreversible towards assimilation”  In other words, immigrants overtime need to give up there old ways and “melt” into the mainstream of their host society.  Richard Alba and Victor Nee declared that the process of assimilation starts with “ contact, competition, accommodation and eventual assimilation”

Today, immigrants from Mexico are taking longer to assimilate compared to other foreign immigrants. A study conducted by the US News reported that even fourth generation Mexican Americans politically identify themselves as either “Mexican” or “ Mexican American.” in which brings concerns amongst many Americans.

 Many minority groups are concentrated in poor inner city communities, therefore they are alienated from the cultural norms of US citizens.  Racism and discrimination: Ideology that whites are the superior race and dark skinned minority groups are economically, socially, and culturally inferior. Therefore, institutions are not accommodating for minority groups who are at a disadvantage when it comes to employment, education, and health.

Euphoria Excitement enthusiasm and optimism for everything in the host culture Culture Shock Negativity ranging from irritability to hostility, from anxiety to outright panic Similar to the stages of grief Anomie Gradual recovery of equilibrium and objectivity Acknowledge if positive and negative aspects of both cultures Identity crisis Assimilation or Adoption Acceptance of new culture Recovery of self-confidence and identity

 The “ Marginal Man” is a term used to describe immigrants who come into a host country but are pulled back by the culture of their origins.

OR

 Assimilation- The process by which a person or persons acquire the social and psychological characteristics of a group  Acculturation- the results of contact between two or more different cultures; a new, composite culture emerges, in which some existing cultural features are combined, some are lost, and new features are generated. Usually one culture is dominant.cultures

 Children are the ones that mix in and bring American culture into the household.  Most immigrant families try to keep their culture within and not leave their heritage/culture.  As generations pass the culture of immigrant descendants fade away; such as language, knowledge, values…etc