Читать книгу To Be An American - Bill Ong Hing - Страница 26

For almost four decades Cubans have migrated to Miami, creating what the Department of Labor terms a “premier example of the formation of ethnic enclaves.”²⁸ Cubans, however, are not a stereotypical group of low-wage immigrant workers. Through financial and social assistance from friends and families, about 20 percent of Cubans in Miami prior to 1980 were business managers or professionals. The ethnic enclave facilitated jobs and economic development for new arrivals, while those who ventured out of the enclave experienced lower earnings linked in part to language problems.

In one study of the effect of the “Mariel Boatlift” on Miami (discussed more fully in chapter 7), economist David Card found that the influx of 125,000 new Cubans had no effect on the unemployment rates or wages of low-skilled native workers or earlier Cuban immigrants. He posited several explanations for his findings. The Marielitos may have discouraged other immigrants and natives from coming to Miami. For some twenty years prior to the boatlift, Miami had received thousands of Cuban émigrés, making Miami especially prepared for the influx. Miami’s strong textile and clothing industries could absorb additional unskilled labor. And the lack of English-speaking ability did not pose a hindrance to entry into Miami’s job market.²⁹