Caribbean Migration to the Mainland: A Review of Adaptive Experiences

This article examines the incorporation of immigrant populations into U.S. society with a review of certain Caribbean groups: Dominicans, Haitians, and West Indians. The influx of these groups to the U.S. mainland dates back to the 1820s, but the significant flows have been noticeable since the early 1970s. The interaction of the economic factors relevant to the residents of these Caribbean nations and to the U.S. economy explains, to a large degree, their migration patterns. Prior to more specific discussions of each of the Caribbean groups, the author discusses the incorporation process, which entails adaptation, integration, and absorption. This process involves both individual adjustments and communal activities with the larger society. The discussion of Dominicans, Haitians, and West Indians suggests somewhat varied experiences and progress in the incorporation process. For Dominicans and West Indians, some socioeconomic mobility is evident, as well as the formation of groups to interact with majority institutions. In the case of Haitians, the issues of legal status and seeking political refugee status serve as a necessary prerequisite to moving through the incorporation process.