Why People Immigrate to the United States: Key Reasons

Introduction: A Nation of Immigrants

Immigration into the United States is a topic that many Americans — from politicians to the ordinary person on the street — have strong opinions about. Illegal immigration is a particularly controversial subject, but even legal immigration can spark debate. America views itself as a country of immigrants, and many Americans support the idea that the United States is the land of freedom and opportunity for the oppressed masses from around the world. Immigration becomes especially contentious during difficult economic times, such as those the United States has experienced since 2008. Many Americans feel that their jobs and income are threatened by immigrants who may arrive willing to labor in poor working conditions for low wages. Yet immigrants, even illegal immigrants, do not come to the United States simply to steal jobs from Americans. The reasons that immigrants want to live in the United States are more complex than many Americans envision, and they differ considerably across groups of people from different countries of origin.

Religious Oppression as a Driver of Immigration

Religious oppression in the country of origin is the oldest reason anyone set out for North America, and it remains a significant driver of immigration today. Many people find religion to be extremely important to their personal identity, their family life, and their relationship with the world. Religion shapes how its followers view the world and affects their moral and political beliefs. It is also one of the ways humans define social groups, and in many countries where religious freedom is not guaranteed — or where society is dominated by one religion — people who adhere to minority religions find themselves in a difficult position.

Followers of minority religions may be harassed or even physically harmed, their job opportunities limited, or worse. If one's religion places them in a poor position to thrive or survive in their native country, immigrating to the United States can be appealing because the U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of religion to all residents. Even though Americans are not perfectly accepting of all religions, and adherents to minority religions may still feel out of step with the dominant culture, immigrants typically experience far greater religious freedom in the United States than is available in many other countries.

Political Persecution and the Search for Freedom

Political persecution is also a common reason for immigrating to the United States. Under many governments, political dissent is not well tolerated, and people who attempt to challenge the dominant political power find themselves oppressed — or sometimes jailed, tortured, or killed. America provides broad freedom of political expression, and perhaps more importantly for immigrants, it is sympathetic to those who have suffered in their homeland because of their political beliefs.

Immigrants have been coming to the United States to escape oppression almost since the nation was founded. Countries of origin for politically persecuted immigrants vary widely, but such immigrants tend to arrive in waves as political changes occur around the world. In the early nineteenth century, large numbers of British immigrants arrived in the United States, whereas in the mid-twentieth century, immigrants fled Communist nations such as Cuba and Hungary. In the 1980s and 1990s, many fled harsh regimes in South American nations (Hatch, 2011, pp. 2–3). Wherever their country of origin, political dissidents and those caught up in political upheaval come to the United States seeking relief from the oppression they suffered in their native lands.

Conclusion: The Courage to Immigrate

Whether immigrants head for the United States seeking to escape political or religious oppression, to escape poverty, to join family, or as they are adopted into an existing family, all immigrants come to America hoping for a better life. Leaving one's country of origin to take up permanent residence in another country requires courage and is not something anyone does lightly. Immigrants leave behind friends and sometimes family members, jobs, neighborhoods, and often their native culture. Many immigrants must undertake dangerous journeys and take extraordinary risks simply to leave their homes. Illegal immigrants are often in considerable physical danger, entering the United States on rickety vessels, through deserts, or past borders guarded by armed individuals.