The Last Straw: Reasons for Leaving among Post Hurricane Maria Migrant Families

Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico in September 2017, leaving the Island with significant damage and forcing many to leave. In the present study, we examined motivations for leaving Puerto Rico among "Maria migrants" to the United States using qualitative methodologies. Participants were recruited in collaboration with community organizations in Central Florida that serve the Puerto Rican community.

A total of 120 parent-child dyads (N= 60 parents, N=60 youth) were recruited and given an online survey. Within this survey, an open-ended question was given to parents and youth to describe why they decided to leave. From the 120 participants, 20 dyads (N=20 parents, N=20 youth) were interviewed and asked about this decision and their experiences before and after the hurricane.

From the open-ended survey question, we found that employment (N=28), better quality of life (N=21) and repercussions from Hurricane Maria (N=22) were key reasons for migration among parents. For youth, repercussions from Hurricane Maria (N=27), better quality of life (N=12), parental employment (N=8) and parental decision (N=16) were reported as reasons for migration. From the in-depth qualitative interviews, we found that, although the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria served as an important push factor, the hurricane itself did not appear to be the primary underlying reason for migration-rather, it was often the "last straw."

Study findings challenge two common assumptions: that disaster events are best understood as singular or predominant impetuses for leaving, and that most crisis migrants do not seriously consider relocating prior to disaster.