The Orphans of Globalization

Abstract

Why do so many immigrants come to the United States illegally? The commonplace answer, “to find better paying work and a better way of life,” is somewhat misleading. It assumes that migration is a matter of choice, and that they come here to stay. Certainly the reasons people make the dangerous trek from their respective lands are numerous. And while it might be optional for some, the vast majority is made up of desperate, needy people caught in the cycle of forced migration as a means of sheer survival.