Key Issue #3: Why Do Migrants Face Obstacles? Immigration Policies of Host Countries U.S. Quota Laws Acts of Congress – Quota Act of 1921 & National Origins Act of 1924 Set quotas (max limits) of people allowed to immigrate into U.S. from each country during a 1-year period 3% of 1910 census #’s from given countries & 2% of 1890 census Designed to keep most immigrants European Immigration Act of 1965 – quotas based on hemispheres not countries (170,000 east & 120,000 west) Global quota of 290,000 in 1978 – now 620,000 with no more than 7% per country Exceptions alter limits – 480,000 family-sponsored & 140,000 job-related Reuniting of families (5 year wait); No limit of family of US citizens Quotas do not apply to refugees Asians use job-related then family-sponsored (chain migration) Brain Drain – loss of quality workers from home country

Key Issue #3: Why Do Migrants Face Obstacles? Temporary Migration for Work More common in Middle East (oil-related work) & Europe Guest workers – protected by wage laws, unions Make up much of workforce in many European countries (1/2 of Luxembourg, 1/6 of Switzerland) Europe in Stage 3-5 of DT – low pop. growth or on decline 700,000 legal & 500,000 illegal annually in Europe Take low status, low skill jobs (taxi, garbage, road crews, cleaning, etc.) Low pay but better than home country – reduces unemployment in home country; send money back U.K. very restrictive guest worker laws Mostly from Middle East, N. Africa, Eastern Europe, & Asia Turkey to Germany Algeria & Morocco to France

Key Issue #3: Why Do Migrants Face Obstacles? Time Contract Work Recruited for fixed time – many stay permanently after contract expired Indians to Burma/Myanmar, Malaysia, Guyana, S. Africa, Fiji, Mauritius, Trinidad Japanese & Filipinos to Hawaii, Japanese to Brazil, Chinese to U.S. (1869 trans-continental railroad) 33 million Chinese live in other countries (3/4 of Singapore, 1/3 of Malaysia, 1/10 of Thailand) Many illegal Asian immigrants in Taiwan (Filipinos, Thai, Malaysians)

Key Issue #3: Why Do Migrants Face Obstacles? Difference in Economic Migrants & Refugees Migrants – limited; Refugees – special priority From Cuba U.S. considers as refugees since 1959 (Fidel Castro) Communist government 600,000 fled to U.S. after revolution, mostly to FL 1980 – Castro allowed prisoners, criminals, & mental patients to leave (took back about 2,500) 125,000 in Mariel boatlift 20,000 per year since 1987 90-125 miles from Cuba to FL

Key Issue #3: Why Do Migrants Face Obstacles? Difference in Economic Migrants & Refugees From Haiti Francois “Papa Doc” & Jean-Claude “Baby Doc Duvalier dictatorship – U.S. does not consider as refugees Haitians admitted in lawsuit after 1980 Mariel boatlift 1991 coup of Jean-Bertrand Aristide – many fled but were rejected as refugees (considered economic migrants) 1994 – U.S. & UN peacekeeping invasion to reinstate Aristide & democratic elections Haiti – poorest country in Western Hemisphere From Vietnam 1975 – communist N. Vietnam captures Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) Many tried to flee to U.S on boats (boat people) Some considered refugees but not all (economic vs. political) 800,000 to U.S. & 1 million to other countries

Key Issue #3: Why Do Migrants Face Obstacles? Cultural Problems Faced While Living in Other Countries U.S. Attitudes 19th century – suspicious but viewed as important to settle frontier & extend U.S. control across continent Opposition grew when immigrants came mainly from southern & eastern Europe (Russia, Italy, Poland, etc.) Viewed as criminals, inferior, resistant to assimilation Asians viewed suspiciously – language, religion Hispanics prejudiced against – all assumed illegal; language CA voters denied access to public services (education, healthcare, etc.) for undocumented immigrants – not constitutional & hard to enforce

Key Issue #3: Why Do Migrants Face Obstacles? Cultural Problems Faced While Living in Other Countries Attitudes Towards Guest Workers In Europe (Typically young, single males who send money home): Suffer from poor social conditions Little money, food, housing, entertainment Lonely, unfamiliar with language & culture Regarded as temporary but actually permanent – often joined by families later Suspicions, dislike, political restrictions, attacks increasing In Middle East: Fear political unrest & abandoning of traditional Islam Force return to marry, prevent return with spouse or children Reduced # of guest workers due to reduced economic growth Anti-immigration policies – somewhat racist, claim to reduce unemployment & taxes