There is a wave of immigrants leaving the United States and returning to their home countries. Most have spent most of their lives as undocumented workers. Some did not intend to stay long in the United States when they arrived, but the high cost and danger of crossing the border kept them here. They ended up building a life, having children, and putting down roots. But now, still physically fit, they are choosing to go back home.
This trend was noted by a recent study conducted by the Center for Migration Studies.
The research also concluded that Mexicans, who are part of the largest wave of immigration to the United States in modern history, began a gradual return over a decade ago due to improvements in the Mexican economy and a reduction in job opportunities in the United States during the last recession.
But departures have accelerated recently, not only among Mexicans but also from other nationalities. Alongside the crackdown on immigrants under the Trump administration, these immigrants, having achieved their original immigration goals, have concluded that they can now afford to exchange the often heavy work in the United States for a quieter life in their home countries.
Moreover, the uncertainty regarding the possibility of legalizing their status also discourages this group of immigrants who have been away from their families for decades. The last amnesty program approved by the U.S. Congress was in 1986. Since then, Democrats and Republicans have failed to reach a consensus on another immigration reform bill.
The departure of this group of immigrants is one of the factors that help keep the total number of undocumented immigrants in the country relatively stable, despite the influx of people crossing the southern border recently.
The current undocumented population has remained relatively constant at around 10.2 million in recent years, after peaking at nearly 12 million in 2008, even with the large number of newcomers, especially across the border.
The number of undocumented individuals from about a dozen countries, including Poland, the Philippines, Peru, South Korea, and Uruguay, fell by 30% or more from 2010 to 2020.
The undocumented population from Mexico, the main source of immigrants to the United States, dropped from 6.6 million to 4.4 million during the same period.
This decline was recorded in almost every state, falling by 49% in New York; 40% in California; 36% in Illinois; and 20% in Texas. Survey data suggest that these residents were not moving to other states but returning to their home countries.
The study showed that Brazilians also returned in large numbers when their country’s economy was thriving, thanks to a boom in food exports and the successful bids to host the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, which stimulated a period of prosperity in the infrastructure and construction sector.
Source: The New York Times