Immigration: Present Day
100 Pesos, 1974
Currently, America is facing its fourth massive immigration wave, this time immigrants are mainly from Latin America, followed by people from the Caribbean and Asia (Jimenez, 2001). The main groups emigrating from Latin America countries are from Central America and Mexico; their reason for leaving their countries being almost similar to those immigrants in the 19th century. During the 1970s to about 2000s, there was a great influx of Mexicans coming to America, for economic reasons. Many of these immigrants were living in impoverished towns and even the educated and those living in big cities had wages that were much too low to buy basic necessities. Whereas their neighbor, the United States, had a higher quality of living compared to those living in Mexico.("Illegal immigration from,"). Mexico also faced a decreasing value in their currency, as political problems occurred, making it more difficult for people especially when jobs also weren’t readily available (Brick, Challinor & Rosenblum, 2011).
Salvadoran civilians flee government bombing, San Salvador, El Salvador (1989, De Cesare,Donna)
Central Americans such as El Salvadorians, Guatemalans, Nicaraguans, and Hondurans are the four main countries that currently have great amounts of immigrants coming into the United States. All of the countries named above faced a civil war during the 1970s to the 1990s, which during these years many people left fleeing the war happening within their country ("Salvadoran Americans,"). “Himena” 16, “Oscar” 30, (Salvadorians) and“Nina” 13 (Honduran) left because of the civil war and the economic problems they faced in their countries ("Cruz", 2012), ("Bonilla", 2012) & ("Rivera", 2012). “Marvin”, only nineteen years of age in 2009, immigrated to the United States fleeing the violence, especially gang violence, that is constant and happening at a tremendous rate in El Salvador. He also said that many of his family members as well also decided to move to the United States for the same reason. ("Piñeda",2012) The same could be said about the other three countries named as well; they all face a high rate of violence such as homicide which in certain places and countries could be attributed to the drug cartels in Mexico (Associated Press, 2012).
Picture found on Google images
Though after the 90s it can be said that the reason why immigrants were deciding to come to America shifted, they were no longer fleeing from national conflicts going on within their country. Now Salvadorians, Hondurans, Nicaraguans, Guatemalans are coming to America in search of better living and working
conditions that would allow them to cover their basic needs which currently is not a possibility. “Fabian”, who came to the U.S in 2000 when he was 25, pointed out during his interview that he came in search of the American dream (Alvarado, 2006) & ("Cepeda", 2012). More than half of immigrants coming from Mexico and other Latin American countries are usually males between 30 and 50, unlike for immigrants during the 19thcentury (Johnson & Hill, 2011) & (Walsner, McNeill & Zuckerman). During the 19th century it was usually younger males who came to America (“Peopling of America,” 2008- 2010). Though one cannot say that females do not immigrate as well because that would be false, lately the number of females coming to America has increased (Organización Editorial Mexicana, 2011). Unlike in the 19th century where many families immigrated together, Latin Americans usually have one person immigrate first. The family either stays behind or waits to gather enough money so that they can come to the United States as well. Through the many interviews I conducted within my neighborhood, it became clear that nearly for every person who came to America either worked and sent money home or they worked until they were able to send for their family that they left behind. Much like the immigrants in the 19thcentury, they also sent money back home to those back in the old country. It can be said that even if 100 years separates this immigration wave from the one back in the 19th century many of the reasons why these immigrants decided to come to America are similar. In both time frames immigrants were faced with political, economical and social issues that pushed a lot of immigrants to seek better lives for themselves as well as their families.
conditions that would allow them to cover their basic needs which currently is not a possibility. “Fabian”, who came to the U.S in 2000 when he was 25, pointed out during his interview that he came in search of the American dream (Alvarado, 2006) & ("Cepeda", 2012). More than half of immigrants coming from Mexico and other Latin American countries are usually males between 30 and 50, unlike for immigrants during the 19thcentury (Johnson & Hill, 2011) & (Walsner, McNeill & Zuckerman). During the 19th century it was usually younger males who came to America (“Peopling of America,” 2008- 2010). Though one cannot say that females do not immigrate as well because that would be false, lately the number of females coming to America has increased (Organización Editorial Mexicana, 2011). Unlike in the 19th century where many families immigrated together, Latin Americans usually have one person immigrate first. The family either stays behind or waits to gather enough money so that they can come to the United States as well. Through the many interviews I conducted within my neighborhood, it became clear that nearly for every person who came to America either worked and sent money home or they worked until they were able to send for their family that they left behind. Much like the immigrants in the 19thcentury, they also sent money back home to those back in the old country. It can be said that even if 100 years separates this immigration wave from the one back in the 19th century many of the reasons why these immigrants decided to come to America are similar. In both time frames immigrants were faced with political, economical and social issues that pushed a lot of immigrants to seek better lives for themselves as well as their families.