Puerto Ricans Leaving the Island for Mainland U.S.
CNN reports that, continuing a trend over the last several years, Puerto Ricans are leaving the island for the mainland United States at a historic rate. The commonwealth’s Institute of Statistics revealed Sunday the results of its analysis on 2014 migration, which found that Puerto Rico lost almost 2% of its population that year. About 84,000 people moved from Puerto Rico to the United States in 2014 while only 20,000 moved back to the island, resulting in a net migration of 1.8%. On average, 230 people left per day — enough to fill two daily flights out of the island. The result is the highest net migration recorded in the past decade, the Institute said.
“The economic factor is the main factor pushing people towards leaving Puerto Rico,” demographer Raul Figueroa, who works as an independent consultant, told CNN. Unemployment, the lack of opportunities, especially for the youth, and quality of life are major factors, he said.
Puerto Rico, now 10 years into a recession, is deep in debt and often compared to Greece and Detroit. More Puerto Ricans now live in the mainland United States than on the island itself. In the 1950s, most Puerto Ricans moved to New York, but Florida has been the main destination in the last 10 years.
Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory. Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens and thus are migrants to the mainland, not immigrants.
KJ