Migration Decision-Making in Puerto Rico: Impact of Colonialism in a US Territory (1898-present) : An analysis of lived experiences

Abstract: Puerto Rico, an island in the Caribbean and an unincorporated territory belonging to the United States (US), is facing an uncertain future as its population rapidly declines through emigration. The American public has only begun to pay attention to this problem in recent years as more and more Puerto Ricans relocate to the US mainland. This study therefore aims to understand the migration decision-making process of Puerto Ricans by exploring the underlying causes and motivations. In conducting qualitative research, the findings center on interviews conducted with seven Puerto Ricans who relocated from Puerto Rico to the US mainland between 1985 and 2018. Their reflections on their migration decision-making experiences demonstrate that the process is complicated, multi-focal, and multidimensional. Focusing specifically on the concepts of citizenship, migration as an adaptive strategy, and migration decision-making, the findings indicate that Puerto Ricans are US citizens in name only. They are more predisposed than other US citizens to relocate when faced with environmental and economic stress, yet not all Puerto Ricans have the desire, nor the ability to relocate. Despite the finite scope of this research, the findings nonetheless provide valuable insight into the ongoing trends of Puerto Rican migration