On the Move

The Americas is a region on the move and is both the source and recipient of some of the largest migrations in the world today. While much scholarship and public commentary focus on the considerable movement of people northward toward the United States, most of the millions of migrants from the Americas are in fact, the authors reveal, staying within other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Through a combination of engaging narratives and evidence-based analysis, On the Move tells a story of both triumph and tragedy. The authors explore the complex composition of migration flows and the varied and uneven ways in which host countries in the region have responded. This book takes readers beyond the typical debates on US immigration policy and represents the first comprehensive look at how countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are reacting to an unprecedented wave of people around the world who choose—or are forced—to move across borders.

"The authors rightly affirm the need to examine intra-regional migration in the Americas, aptly placing South America, Central America, and the Caribbean in conversation, and analyzing contemporary migratory patterns, policies and responses within states. This book serves as a useful guide given emerging shifts within the region." —Natalie Dietrich Jones, University of the West Indies

"This brilliant book looks south of the US-Mexico border to examine the new contours of migration in the Americas, illuminating the forces that propel people into movement and how governments in Latin America and the Caribbean are at once shaping migration and responding to its challenges. An essential antidote to US-centric thinking about migration." —Roger Waldinger, University of California, Los Angeles

"Latin America and the Caribbean have seen the fastest rise in immigration, globally, over the last 15 years. On the Move is essential for grasping the complex interactions of the Caribbean, South America, Central America, and Mexico—previously distinct migration systems—and how these shape their migration policies." —Diego Acosta, University of Bristol