Sociologists have over a long time studied tribulations of migration and its consequences across and within cultures. Migration is defined in a number of ways but for this paper, it shall be used to refer to the movement of persons from one country or locality to another as defined by the free online Dictionary. Other words that are closely related to migration are immigration (migration into a place) and emigration (migrating from a place) over the years migration has brought with it mixed reactions and results; it, therefore, becomes difficult to conclude whether it brings problems or blessings. New immigration laws are set up to stabilize the general living conditions of migrants and immigrants.
The tradition of migration has continued over time and now it is time to examine the new and changing faces of it. Usually, the main supposition in studying migrants is that the central culture into which they migrate wields pressure to change through culture, organizations, and personal relations; however, incoming migrants resist the pressure to change. Therefore the most common model is whereby the migrants are marginalized socially, politically, and even economically, in addition to the conflict that the immigrants face. The migration phenomenon also tries to point out that when the four estates of society (government, military, church, and media) fail to function then the citizen is left with no option but to move to another place. It is at this time that the basic needs of that individual cannot be met by the structure of the society he/she belongs (Pugad ng Muharlika, 2008).
As identified by some readings, there are only two main things that make a citizen of a country migrate; the threat to peace and order in a region which may, in turn, endanger human life, and when one is unable to make both ends meet. However, these causes have been reviewed and amplified such that what we have today is many factors depending on where the individual comes from and where he is destined for, the reasons for leaving his homeland, and so on. The most common sources of migration include famine, unemployment, wars, and political persecution. These factors therefore will assist the receiving government to help the immigrants accordingly. For example, in a case where the immigrants are refugees of war, the government will need more than just humanitarian but also psychological assistance. On the other hand, if the immigrants have gone to pursue further education, their requirements from the government will not be as much as their refugee counterparts.
As an issue of social, economic, and political issues, migration has attracted a lot of responses from different people, individuals, and groups. The most dominant social problems result from the place of destination to within the place of destination. This implies migration within and outside the country. The major problems of migration include poverty, acculturation, education, social adjustment, employment, housing, and family difficulties. These problems are understood in different ways; how they affect the migrants, immigrants, their origin, and destination. Family problems that affect the immigrants include departing from the support system of the extended family. Suppose one goes away from his/her home, it is quite automatic that at one time that particular individual will feel homesick and miss the company of the immediate relatives. In case the migrant’s main aim was to look for a job in his destination then he misses it, he undergoes stress and financial difficulties in such events. There is also the problem of differing awareness about the concepts of basic human rights. Poverty among immigrants in the US continues to take an ascending motion because of the rapid increase in the numbers of these groups of people.
Solutions
It is of great significance to incorporate other policies with the government policy to have a better way of solving this problem. There are policies designed to express the needs of migrants and immigrants even though they are heavily inclined towards the support of the smooth operation of local control and administration. Providing direct services by offering education to migrants and immigrants is a sure way of solving the problems of this group of people. This is because; amongst the critical issues that affect the migrants and immigrants are is basic literacy and an effective way of achieving this goal in a population that is always on the move.
Countries that experience a high number of refugees, for example, the US, should allow a flexible quota system that would be responsive to the variations in labor needs. The government should look more closely at the various migrant groups; their needs and how to advance them the required aid accordingly. The government should also attend to the social welfare issues of the immigrants (Dail P.W. 1988).
In cases where there exist cases of migration in nations that are close to one another, for example, Zimbabwe and South Africa or Mexico and the USA, the solution is not usually easy and it greatly depends on how far the governments involved are willing to go to work together in developing public policies of both counties’ interest. For the United States and Mexico, a long time compromise between the two governments can guarantee to venture into the Mexican economy to harmonize and keep a good balance in both labor markets.
According to Dr. Demetrios Papademetriou, migration is dreaded by the nations of destination because of the negative impacts that it is associated with; illegality, creation of divided communities, and labor market displacement. He discussed that the USA fell short of adequate legal channels to let people work in the country as he responded to illegality. He also added that the labor market on the other hand could absorb more people than it does currently and that the slow administrative process was responsible for slowing down immigration.
Conclusion
The impact of immigrants on the society of any given society and its economy is assessed and many nations have come up with ways to try and put migration under considerable control. Furthermore, the affected nations have accordingly made policies to deal with problems that might come up as a result of migration.
References
Aydin. R, Elvers. C 2006 World Migration: Economic and Social Impacts Challenges for implementing the recommendations of the Global Commission on International Migration in Germany and the United States.
Castaneda. D Economic and political perspective of migration in North America.
Rosenberg M, Ralph H. T 1990 Social Psychology: Sociological Perspectives.
Sociological perspective of migration, structural functionalism and the four estates of society.
Dail P.W 1988 NCBI Immigration and migration in America: social impact and social Response.