Six things to know about U.S. immigration

[Locutus]

The U.S. Supreme Court's hearing on Arizona's SB1070 comes at a time when illegal immigration from Mexico has fallen. The argument over unauthorized entry has drowned out some intriguing developments in America's overall migrant population, including a rebound in international students in higher education and legal citizenship. Below, some facts and figures about who's coming, going, and staying:

The United States has the world's largest immigrant population. No surprise, with its history of having open-door policies and welcoming newcomers with open arms. You would have to combine the migrant populations of Russia, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Canada—which rank second through fifth in terms of their migrant populations—to equal the migrant population of the United States.


Other numbers, according to the Migration Policy Institute:

• About 40 million foreign-born residents live in the United States.
• Immigrants make up 13% of the U.S. population. The record all-time low was 5% in 1970; the all-time high 15% in 1890.
• Currently, one in eight U.S. residents—and one in six U.S. workers—is foreign-born.
• The U.S. isn't one of the top 10 countries with the highest share of immigrant population. That honor belongs to Qatar; 87% of its residents have come from abroad.
• An estimated 11.5 million migrants are unauthorized.
• Nearly half of all illegal migrants live in California (25%), Texas (16%), and Florida (6%).

much more:


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[B00Mer]

You should get on your knees every night and thank God you live in a country people want to break into, and your not living in a country people want to break out of..

When I hear people talk about the "American dream" I think of Canada. Safety, Universal Health Care, a country with 1/10 the population of the neighbor to the south and but larger, modern cities and I think much more generous and hopefully will stay much less bigoted and more tolerant of new immigrants.

:canada:

The Canadian Dream

 

[The Old Medic]

What cities in Canada are larger than American cities?

It's truly strange the concepts that so many people in Canada have about the USA. They fall for the stereotypes that appear in the news, and believe that everything is as it is portrayed by those with an agenda.

I grew up very, very poor in the USA. My mother was a drunk, went through at least 8 husbands (that we can prove) and claimed 4 others that we know nothing about. We moved constantly, I went to 28 different schools, in five different states, before dropping out of school in the middle of the 11th grade.

At times, all I had to eat was dry dog food. We had NO medical insurance, no food stamps, no welfare (if we had signed up for anything like that, the authorities might have intervened, and removed us from my mothers care).

Yet my older sister earned her Ph.D. in Mathematics and worked in the US Aerospace industry for most of her life. My older brother earned an A.A. Degree in a Community College, went into the Insurance industry, and ended up earning more money than my sister and I combined.

I earned my Ed.D in Rehabilitation Counseling and Psychology. I chose to work with Developmentally Disabled teens and adults, and then with people that had suffered traumatic brain injuries.

This could never have happened in the vast majority of countries. It would have been EXTREMELY unlikely even in Canada. Yet, what we did is not at all uncommon in the USA.

There are opportunities available 9in the USA, that simply do not exist elsewhere. All anyone has to do is take advantage of those chances.

I personally chose to enter the U.S. Army, and stayed there for 10 years. I left when my ex-wife deserted me and our two daughters, leaving me as a single father. I worked hard, and made something of myself. I used the Vietnam era GI Bill (which paid $200 per month), worked part-time, and got an education. I came out of graduate school owing a total of $1,500, because I simply refused to spend any money on luxuries (we had 1 television, one stereo/radio, etc.).

How many people in Europe could do what we did? Even if they wanted to, the educational system there is stacked against them. In the US, ANYONE can go to college, if they desire to do so. They start out just like my siblings and I did, in a Community College. If you work hard, and get the grades, then you go on to a University.

Yes, lots of illegals come to the USA for the opportunities. People even come to the USA as illegal immigrants from Canada, for the opportunities that they don't have in Canada. My father was one of them.

 

[B00Mer]

Same opportunities are available in Canada, I just think there is a better social net for the poorest of poor and our educational system is equal if not better than in the USA.

I live in both countries.. and feel both countries have much to offer..in different ways.