nwasianweekly.com
Mar. 4, 2006

Hardships mark immigrants' lives

Some people think immigrants have it easy here in America, what with the wealth of social services and public assistance available to them these days.

The truth is, an immigrant’s life is harder than most Americans can imagine. Noncitizens are vulnerable to exploitation, particularly in their jobs, because of their immigration status. Language is often a major barrier for immigrants, as is a lack of understanding of American business practices, law enforcement, education, child rearing and health care.

A report released earlier this month by the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations documents the experiences of 230 immigrants in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. There were shared stories of inadequate or even inaccessible health care, due to the high cost of health insurance. Many talked about the difficulty of becoming U.S. citizens, due to tough eligibility requirements, lengthy wait periods and confusing paperwork. There were countless stories of workplace discrimination and civil rights abuses.

Talk to new immigrants and refugees from Asian countries and you’ll hear how scared they are to go out in public places. They worry authorities will catch them and send them back to their native countries. Distrusting of police, elected officials and immigration authorities, these immigrants and refugees steer clear of places where they might encounter authority figures. Imagine living a life in which fear dictates your movements and travels. That’s not freedom.

And what happens when these immigrants are robbed, abused or hurt? In many cases, they refuse to call 911 for help. They would rather endure their losses or pain than risk deportation.

Still, these people would rather be in America than anywhere else. The economic opportunities are unparalleled. Their children live here. And in some cases, their native countries are too war-torn or the governments are too oppressive for them to continue living there safely.

Those of us who are lucky enough to be American citizens should appreciate what we have here. Beyond our cars, savings accounts and job stability, we still lead privileged lives because we can speak and write in English, we know our rights as Americans, we can depend on the police for help when we need it and our basic services, like health care, food and education, are being met.

So we ask you to show more understanding to people who are new to this country. Don’t look down on them simply because they have accents or because they don’t look, dress or behave the way you do. They have been through a lot just to get to America, to share in the same rights and freedoms that you are lucky enough to enjoy.

Give back by helping America’s newest immigrants with their transition. Volunteer to be an English-language tutor. Help them study for their citizenship exams. Offer to baby-sit so they have time to work and go to school. Teach them how to use the computer and the Internet to find jobs and communicate with loved ones. Local agencies that serve immigrants, like Asian Counseling and Referral Service, Refugee Women’s Alliance and Chinese Information and Service Center, offer a myriad of volunteer opportunities. Just ask what you can do.

The hardships faced by immigrants are worse than most people know. Every day, people risk their lives to escape the war, famine, violence and lack of opportunities in their native countries — just for a chance at a better life in America. We Americans are the lucky ones. We ought to return the blessings by helping others who are not as fortunate.

To view the report released by the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations, visit www.nwfco.org.

Send correspondence to:
Northwest Asian Weekly • P.O. Box 3468 • Seattle • WA  98114
Tel: 206.223.5559 •  Fax: 206.223.0626 • Email: scpnwan@nwlink.com
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