Human Resources: Executive Summary:Immigration Patterns

Immigration is a highly visible, often emotionally charged issue in most countries. Some people believe the greater annual influx of immigrants is overwhelming their society, especially if they are illegal. These concerns are increasing pressure on governments in the U.S. and in Europe to restrict immigration and curb the flows of illegal workers.

Immigrants are divided into several categories. Refugees (who ask to enter a country) and asylees (who arrive and then ask for asylum) are admitted legally into a country for protection. These groups are often uprooted because of a natural disaster or a man-made disruption, such as war or civil unrest. Those referred to as migrants are seeking work voluntarily, though perhaps they are escaping poverty and other aspects of a degraded economy.

Foreign-born residents represent about 11.7% of the total U.S. population. The major difference between today's immigrants and those from previous eras is their country of origin. In 2003, 53% of U.S. immigrants were born in Latin America and 25% in Asia, replacing those from Europe, the source of most U.S. immigrants in the last century. Mexicans are the largest immigrant group flowing into the U.S. over the last two decades, and many arrive illegally. Presently almost 35.7 million immigrants live in the U.S. About 10.3 million of them are undocumented, 11.3 million are naturalized and 10.4 million have permanent legal resident status, or "green cards." The remaining 3.7 million are temporary residents and refugees.

The idea that these immigrants take jobs from local citizens is pervasive, as countries around the world experience an explosion of migrants who are moving from economic distress or political turmoil. In recent years, refugees from conflicts in Yugoslavia, Central America and Africa have affected the economies of many countries. Yet, despite vocal critics of immigration who attract media attention, a 2005 National Immigration Forum bipartisan survey of U.S. voters' attitudes on immigration revealed that, while 75% of respondents support comprehensive reforms to ease the path toward citizenship, only 5% are greatly concerned about immigration.

In the U.S., much of the economy depends on the constant flow of workers. Nearly 10 million illegal immigrants work in the agriculture, construction and service industries, including 1.8 million undocumented farm workers, half the agricultural workforce. Tom Nassif, head of the California-based Western Growers, an association of 3,000 growers who produce half the fresh fruits and vegetables in the U.S., criticized stringent border patrols during lettuce season, calling the action ill-timed because it "provoked an acute shortage of labor" during the economically critical lettuce harvest.

In recent years, the face of migration has become increasingly feminine as more women enter the labor market to provide for their families. These women seek work in the domestic trades as maids or nannies, or in the services industries. But if they do not have proper papers, they may become unwitting victims of unscrupulous people, at risk of sexual exploitation or virtually enslaved in low-wage jobs.

The future of U.S. immigration is difficult to predict. No political or social consensus has emerged about how to reform immigration policy, and there's still tension between those who wish to restrict immigration to improve homeland security and those who wish to expand the number of skilled immigrants allowed into the nation to help businesses. But it's likely that significant levels of U.S. immigration, both legal and illegal, will continue in the foreseeable future.

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