Landscape, Art, and Ecology

Human Migration

Humans by birth have the natural instinct to survive just like all other living things on this planet. When their environment poses a threat in any way, it is normal to move away from danger and find a haven in order to thrive. It is also in our nature to adapt and live in new surroundings just as butterflies do. Although motives vary by individuals and families, difficult socioeconomic and security conditions—exacerbated by natural disasters and poor governance—appear to be the most significant drivers of economic migrants and asylum-seekers.²⁰ This has been the case for those migrating from Latin American countries. Some research suggests these migratory waves also become self-reinforced over time, as families seek reunification and those that leave their communities serve as examples. They share their experiences and resources to those who have remained behind. It is a migration pattern found in nature overall, although the journey alone could be perilous, and poses many uncertainties.

Migrants from Latin America have traveled to the United States in a number of ways, including legally, illegally, and through immigration parole programs. Nearly half of all the migrants now residing in the US entered the country legally through a port of entry such as an airport or a border crossing point where they were subject to inspection by immigration officials, according to new estimates from the Pew Hispanic Center.²¹ With a visa, migrants are allowed to visit or reside in the US for a short amount of time, though many intend to stay permanently. Characterized as “overstayers”, these migrants become part of the “unauthorized” population when they remain in the country after their visas expire. Another smaller portion of the unauthorized migrant population enter the country legally from Mexico using a Border Crossing Card, which is a document that also permits limited stay at the border region, but later violate the terms of permission. The remainder of the unauthorized migrant population, largely more than half, enter the country illegally. This means discreetly by foot or by hiding in vehicles. Given challenging circumstances, this may be the last resort for many individuals.

The most dangerous terrains in Mexico’s northern states are the last stop for many Latin American migrants before attempting to cross the border into the United States. Along the way, many of these men, women and children suffer assaults, robbery and abduction by criminal gangs.²² There has been numerous accounts of extortion and mistreatment by police as well as immigration officials. Tragically, some migrants are killed before they even reach their final destination.²³  In a book titled “Photography and Migration”, Tanya Sheehan emphasizes tragic experiences such as these through visual/media documentation. She states, “For far too many migrants, the journey to seek safety and economic opportunities ends in death”.²⁴ She continues by saying “Along the United States-Mexico border, migrant deaths increased tenfold between 2001 and 2014 after a shift in enforcement made the deadly Sonoran Desert the most likely route for migrants seeking to enter the country without documentation.”²⁵ This raises pressing questions about the ethical obligations of the countries’ involved. They need to bring attention to this immorality and ensure the safety and human dignity of the migrants that cross these borders. Still, conditions of precarity have not hindered many migrant individuals and families, which speaks volumes about their determination and perseverance to survive. Once arriving to the United States, the struggle to live justifiably continues.

Latin America became the highest origin region for US immigrants in 1990. By 2019 migrants from Latin America comprised 6.5 percent of the US population.²⁶ Naturally, Mexico is the largest source of Latin American migrants to the United States, and it continues to grow. By 2022, there has been a reported amount of 4.1 million immigrants from Mexico.²⁷ We often see in the media and/or social networks that migrants are portrayed as an economic burden for host countries, overlooking the significant contributions reported in many studies and research. Migrants are agents of sustainable development, contributing to countries' economic growth. They create job opportunities and promote innovation and technological changes. Their contribution as consumers and taxpayers is also noteworthy. Additionally, migration is also a tool for poverty reduction for migrants and their families, contributing to a Sustainable Development Goal, which is ultimately to end poverty.²⁸ Just like pollinators, immigrants are substantially indispensable. It is important to empower immigrants to catalyze their contributions to this development and leverage the advantages of migration. It is also imperative that movements are made in promoting safe, orderly, and regular migration. The integration of migrants should be at the center of governments' public policies, by promoting the welfare and protection of the human rights of all migrants.²⁹ Unfortunately, immigration has been, and remains to be a heated political debate in the United States, and often times, it results to unfair treatment of migrants.