Immigration in Rural America Jennifer Van Hook The Pennsylvania - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Immigration in Rural America Jennifer Van Hook The Pennsylvania - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Jun 04, 2023 241 likes •369 views

Immigration in Rural America Jennifer Van Hook The Pennsylvania State University Small Town Communities Rabun County, Georgia Rabun County, Georgia I n the words of a local employer I use a ton of Hispanics, I love em. I love em .

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Immigration in Rural America

Jennifer Van Hook The Pennsylvania State University

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Small Town Communities

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Rabun County, Georgia

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Rabun County, Georgia

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In the words of a local employer…

I use a ton of Hispanics, I love ’em. I love ’em…. The Hispanics work…they work their tails off, they don’t care if its Saturday, Sunday, Monday, they don’t care if they work seven days a week, twelve hours a day, they don’t complain [as long as] I treat them well.…

  • -Homebuilder
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Share of workers who are undocumented

Farming, fishing, or forestry 26% Maintenance, grounds keeping 14% Construction 15% Drywall installers 31% Construction painters 26% Maids & housekeeping 24%

Source: Passel, Jeffrey S. and D’Vera Cohn. 2016. “Size of U.S. Unauthorized Immigrant Workforce Stable After the Great Recession.” Pew Research Center, November (Estimates based on 2014 American Community Survey)

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Worthington, Minnesota “Once a dying town”

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Fear and distrust

  • Perception that the town

has a significant criminal element

– Rumor of “thugs” hiding under cars. – “I don’t want to go downtown at night”

  • Facts do not back up the

perception

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“Immigrant Optimism”

(Grace Kao and Marta Tienda)

30 41 48

10 20 30 40 50 60

White Children Children of U.S.-born Mexican Americans Children of Mexican Immigrants

% Attended College Among Those Whose Parents Did Not Finish High School

Source: General Social Survey

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Conclusions

New Immigrant Destinations

  • New jobs in agriculture/meat packing, manufacturing,

construction, and high-end services

  • Social networks connect immigrants to jobs
  • Now they are growing because of births than migration

Reception of new immigrants

  • Mixture of appreciation and fear

Long-term Consequences

  • Revitalization of local economy
  • Social and economic integration takes time and more

likely in 2nd generation