The Negative Aspects Of Chain Migration

In 2017, it is impossible to discuss the changing landscape of America without discussing immigration. While most look back upon the time of their ancestors and see immigrating as a brave endeavor, tones have changed since these massive waves of immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries. While the discussion of immigration may seem like it should be left up to the government, there is no denying the fact that millions of families are impacted by immigration on both large and small scales.

Families who choose to immigrate, do so for a multitude of reasons. Who will be immigrating, where the members will be relocating to, and the means to which the immigration is carried out, are all factors that a family must consider. On top of possible pre-existing

Chain migration is when family members immigrate at different times and reunite within the host country. This form of immigration can occur in any number of ways. In some cases, the father will leave his family behind in the hopes of finding manual labor or a child will immigrate by themselves to pursue a better education. In both examples, the family becomes part of a system known as transnational

This conflict is most commonly seen across generations, between parents and their children or between grandparents and their grandchildren. Since it is most likely that a child would be immigrating with their parents, rather than their grandparents, this is where much of the research on this topic exists. Parents and children tend to have minor conflicts across the board, but the act of immigrating can exacerbate these issues. Problems can arise when children adapt to their new country’s culture and beliefs more quickly than their parents are able to. Immigrant parents, especially mothers, often face the challenge of being part of the hinge generation, meaning they both place emphasis on old traditions while also needing to adapt to the new traditions that come with moving to a different country. This type of adaptation is not an easy feat for all and can cause rifts within the family unit. Parents may feel like important values are being lost on the younger generation due to new experiences and agents of socialization, all while going through their own unique assimilation process. This process of adaptation is just one example of how families can face internal conflict after