Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-5-2022
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Croft Institute for International Studies
First Advisor
Simone Delerme
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
In the past two decades, the US has experienced a large influx of immigrants from Venezuela and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Due to these unprecedented increases, there has been numerous notable shifts in Immigration control policy between the presidencies of Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Generally, policies under Obama were favorable and reflected pro-immigrant rhetoric. Meanwhile, Trump took a drastic turn toward restrictionist, unfavorable policies. This study aims to examine the impact of immigration policy on migratory flows and the immigrant experience in the US. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, I examine data that demonstrates the migratory inflows and outflows of these groups as well as oral history interviews and newspaper discourse to determine the effects of immigration policy on migratory flows and the socioeconomic integration of these immigrant groups in the US. The results indicate that favorable policies generally coincided with increases in migratory flows while unfavorable policies coincided with decreases. With regard to the immigrant experience, favorable policies positively impacted the socioeconomic integration process and unfavorable policies negatively impacted the process. This study may provide valuable insight for decision makers of immigration control policy and allow for a deeper understanding of the effects of immigration policies.
Recommended Citation
McDonough, Audrey Lynn, "How Immigration Policy Affects Migratory Flows and Immigrant Experiences: A Comparative Analysis of Policy Impacts on Northern Triangle and Venezuelan Immigrants in the United States" (2022). Honors Theses. 2749.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/2749
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