Why do people migrate to the US?
There are a variety of factors as to why people migrate to the US including political instability, organized crime, narcotrafficking, poverty, climate change, drought, and the relatively new influence of technology/media. In the US media, there is a tendency to focus on violence and crime as primary factors, including gang culture and the embedment of gangs into governments and high murder rates. While this is a very real issue, it is highlighted because victims of violence have a much easier time getting asylum. There is also a pull to the American dream and the association of higher wages, more resources and a better quality of life
Here is an interactive map showing the paths migrants take on their way to the US. Click on the point to read more about the location.
*In order to view the full map, please click on the button on the top right corner of the map to view it in Google Maps.
Note: This map is based on the story told in Oscar Martinez' "A History of Violence." While this book gives a wealth of information about the journey of migration, migrating is a very personal journey with a myriad of possibilities, and this map merely shows a few of these possibilities.
Works Cited:
Demby, Gene. "What Is Your Race? For Millions Of Americans, A Shifting Answer." NPR. June 09, 2014. https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2014/06/09/319584793/what-is-your-race-for-millions-of-americans-a-shifting-answer.
Lane, Charles. "Opinion | People Are Leaving Guatemala Because Life Is Getting Better. We Can't Respond Unless We Understand That." The Washington Post. August 20, 2019. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/people-are-leaving-guatemala-because-life-is-getting-better-we-cant-respond-unless-we-understand-that/2019/08/19/5bc2eef6-bde4-11e9-a5c6-1e74f7ec4a93_story.html.
Martínez, Óscar. A History of Violence: Living and Dying in Central America. Verso, 2017.