Why do you think people immigrate to America?

To find the royal bride! “No journey is too great when one finds what he seeks” Prince Akeem :¬)

Because for all its faults, the US is still the best country to live in.

<ducks and hides from all those that live elsewhere>

For economic opportunity. The chance to be anything they want to be and to earn whatever they can.

Apparently you have never visited other poor countries. i will give Mexico as an example.

The people live on the streets. they sleep on the streets. they sell their unwanted babies on the street. why the streets? the poor have no place to go. some live in cardboard boxes. most sanitary conditions are deplorable. yes, Mexico has some nice cities. but, only the rich can live there. Mexico is a country of either the rich or the poor. there is really no middle Mexicans. i have witnessed this myself. even if you have money and live in, say, Mexico City, you are still living in the worlds most-polluted city.

The situation in Mexico is basically the situation in other countries. these people hear of the good life we have in America and want the same for themselves and their families. they will risk it all, to have what we have and that is why they take the chances of entering American soil, anyway they can. i am for this, just be legal.

The portrayal of the U.S. in the media generally is that everyone is rich – and comparatively we are compared to developing countries.

‘Americaaaaaa! Fuck Yeaaaahhhhhhh!’ Lol…...
I agree with the above answers, there’s better opportunities and better quality of life if they are coming from a place that is lacking those things.

For religious, personal and political liberties that are denied to them in their home countries (or refugee camps, or the fact that they often have to live in refugee camps), for economic opportunities that they can’t realize in their homelands, for family reasons, and to escape persecution and find relative security in a place that won’t hunt them down for simply existing. Sometimes for all of those reasons at the same time.

Like @john65pennington said, if you go to Mexico, you see what poverty really is. Compared to that, the poorest in this country are rich. They have no government-provided housing projects. The poor live in shacks that consist of corrugated tin and dirt floors. You see fields of garbage with men, women and children standing in the middle, picking stuff up. In the US, if you give birth to a child, and have low income, you qualify for WIC (Women, Infants, Children) where you get milk, eggs, juice, etc. There is no WIC in third world countries. In the US, in the poorest cities and urban areas, if you are hungry, there are food pantries where you will be given food, or soup kitchens where you can get a meal. Not so in other countries. Yes, in the US you may have to work hard but we have a lot of rights. If you work on the books and get laid off you will get unemployment. If you work on the books when you get old you get Social Security. All children have a right to education. Many schools have breakfast and lunch programs, federally sponsored, free to children whose families qualify by low income. Everyone gets free medical care by simply walking into an ER or a health clinic. If you can’t pay, you get treated anyway. In the County I work in, they subsidize day care. The people who get it get day care $10 per day. I pay $85.

That’s part of why I think people from other countries want to come to the US. I work for local government and believe me they learn very quickly where the local Department of Social Services is and what they qualify for.

It’s not always poor people who immigrate, or at least not legal immigrants. People generally come for opportunity, and a future for their children. They tend to be forward-thinking individuals.

@BarnacleBill : that’s why I said “that’s part of why I think people from other countries want to come to the US.

In the US it is the poorest who have the highest rates of obesity. In other countries, e.g. India, China, Mexico, Brazil, the poor are starving.

Ica, great answer. you told it like it is. thanks, jp

@john65pennington:

thanks for the compliment.

by the way it’s JCA not ICA.

Poverty here is loads better than poverty there. Plus you don’t have bloody coups every few years, and aren’t in the middle of drug wars, mysterious deaths, and blatent terrorism (except in Arizona).

Most other developed countries and many developing countries have a vast array of public social welfare programs. Some in the developing countries are offered through charity programs and UN organizations. Also, for informational purposes, Mexico has a public housing program.

@jca, wasn’t commenting on any specific comments. Actually, what I was thinking about demographic data that was part of a Hispanic initiative project at work; immigration from Mexico is trending towards more white collar workers in the last 5 years.

We have alot more freedom than some other parts of the world despite the fact that quite a few people who have lived here their whole lives want to take those freedoms away.

Because for centuries, the United States has been viewed as “the land of opportunity”. Unfortunately, there’s not much opportunity, given current economical conditions.

Don’t believe any of these jokers. They’re all trying to keep the truth from you.

The streets really are paved with gold!

True story: A group of Russians visiting for a trade conference requested a tour of our poverty areas. Unknown to them their guide understood their language. As they were driving through our worst slums, one said to another “They are ashamed to show us their worst places”. To them our worst place was unbelievably nice.

All of these answers are exactly why I am amazed when so many jellies get on their America sucks wagon. I always figure they just have never lived or visited anywhere else. America is a wonderful place to live as is Australia, that is why there are constantly people trying to gain access, legally and not.

@rooeytoo I am not on the America sucks wagon. Anyone who is on that wagan is a douche. For the ones who live in America and think it sucks. If you hate it, GET THE F*#K OUT! If you can’t stand this country then leave it and run your big mouth where you may get hanged or beheaded for running your mouth. At least America let you run that mouth without repercussions.

@bkcunningham : no denying that other countries have programs, charitable groups helping out like the UN or religious organizations but they do not reach anywhere near the total populations like ours in the US. Mexico may have a public housing program but if you go there, you see people living in corrugated tin shacks, like I said (don’t know if you have been there but you have you’d understand). Whatever they have it’s not like it is here. They don’t have the safety nets like they have here, like I mentioned unemployment insurance, etc. Nor can they walk into health clinics and get free treatment.

When you see photos of people in the Sudan and other places similar, standing there covered in flies staring at the camera, children with swollen bellies from starvation, you realize that whatever charitable organizations that there may be, as you mention, are nothing compared to what is available in the US. Anybody who thinks the “vast array of social welfare programs” supposedly available in other countries is anything like what is here in the US is sadly mistaken.

So you are saying you believe people come or came to America because of this country’s social welfare programs?

@bkcunningham : like i said originally, “i think that’s PART of why they come.” you can’t deny that having those “safety nets” definitely gives this country an advantage over others. you can’t deny that the fact that a family is very likely not going to be starving and homeless in the street gives this country a leg up over others. the number of pregnant women that cross the border illegally from Mexico to have their babies in southern California is proof. My father is from Guadalajara so you can’t call me prejudiced.

the opportunities are a draw as well, plus the fact that we offer amnesty is another positive.

@jca – Amnesty in what context?

@Mikewlf337 – I’m pretty sure no one on this thread has gotten on the “America Sucks” bandwagon.

@rooeytoo

Good on ya. I’ve never been on an “America sucks” wagon. I bitch and moan a lot about things that are wrong in this country, because it could be – should be – so much better than it is. (I’m sure you could do the same about Oz.) But there is no place I’d rather be living, and darn few places that I look forward to visiting as much—and Oz is one of those places. Someday, maybe…

@iamthemob How do you know? Do you know everyone on this thread on a personal level or everyone on fluther for that matter? I wasn’t talking about just this thread or fluther. This website is not the world.

@Mikewlf337 – But that sounds rather judgmental then. Aren’t you the “Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and no one has to like it” guy?

@iamthemob yeah everyone is entitled to their opinion and no one has to like it. I am however entitled to my opinion that whoever thinks that their country sucks should leave it. I’m not going to push for forced deportation. Everyone is judgemental so you are being a hypocrite if you call me out on that. Think this country sucks? Leave it and move to a “better” country. Don’t wan’t to leave? Then you really don’t think it sucks and you should stfu.

Apparently, everyone wants to come here to meet @Mikewlf337 and be his friend.

Lighten up, dude. Or leave—your words.

@CyanoticWasp Actually those are your words. I said if you think a place sucks you should leave on your own free will. I don’t care less if you want me here or not.

@all

You’re wasting your time. He can’t be reasoned with, everyone else is always wrong, and any difference of opinion is our problem not his.

@FutureMemory – it all depends on your goals, of course ;-).

@FutureMemory I never said a difference of opinion is a problem. I will say that if I don’t change my opinion and someone does have a problem with it that is their problem and not mine. I don’t have to change my mind everytime someone disapproves of it. What do you mean I can’t be reasoned with? That I don’t drop my views everytime someone gives me theirs? I don’t have to change my mind just because you think your views are better. I always listen to the views of others I just don’t always agree with them.

[mod says] Flame off, people. No need to make this personal.

Freedom of thought. And equal opportunities.

“Because for all its faults, the US is still the best country to live in.”

I’d rather stay in Canada. Really.

Do you mean instead of Canada, England, Newzealand, Australia, the similar countries in general? That is important to know.

Geez, it had been so long since I posted this question, I’ll have to think about it a minute. But off the top of my head, I’d say, instead of anywhere else. I mean, if you were going to leave the place where you were born (regardless) and leave everything behind, why would you pick America. Why here?

@bkcunningham I think it makes a difference whether we are talking about refugees from war torn countries, poverty sticken countries, politically repressive countries etc. They just take whatever is close at hand. People in Mexico Haiti Cuba are most likely aim for America. Libyans will take Italy if it is a sure thing immedialtely rather than America if is in a few months but 90% chance of acceptance. That would apply even to people who are not that desparate really. People who have no pressure, who are well enough off and have the luxury of chosing let’s say between America and anywhere else are not risking life and limb, right? It is the fault of so called journalism and maybe Hollywood? that lumps everyone in the same box I think.

To be continued.

I suppose I was thinking more of the 1900s and earlier than just the last half-century or so. I know many Italians, Germans, Hungarians, Poland, or my goodness, many others who came to this country. Not just people from Mexico, Haitia and Cuba. Although I do know many from these great places as well.

@bkcunningham I don’t know. I know the other countries Australia, Canada, Newzealand, offer similar features as America, so I don’t know why America is seen as the land of opportunity more than these other countries. Was America looking for immigrants around the 1900s more than they were? I don’t know. I would love it if an expert in this area would answer.

I think the world was moving from farming to industrial. America was hitting her stride in the industrial revolution.

So there is your answer then, @bkcunningham. All I know is the countries to compare America to are not the worst ones, (war torn, lots of tribal issues, poor,under repressive dictatorships) but the ones with similar levels of living standard and in other ways.
Now if someone can invent something that prevents the craziness that is Snooki speaking at Rutgers (among other crazy things) that would be good.