Immigrants in America

Florence Cases

Nov. 30, 2016

EN100

Argumentative Essay

Immigrants in America

                Immigrants and refugees are expected to learn and speak English when arriving to America. When Theodore Roosevelt was still president, he reminded the immigrants and refugees the responsibility of learning English by stating, “Every immigrant who comes here should be required within five years to learn English or leave the country.” With the continuous increase in the number of immigrants and refugees coming in the United States, immigrants and refugees are struggling to overcome the barriers caused by their lack of English language skills. “Living in America: Challenges Facing New Immigrants and Refugees,” a study edited by Katherine E. Garrett, reports the struggles and obstacles that immigrants and refugees face when living in the United States while Richard Rodriguez’s “Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood,” claims that one of the consequences of learning a new language is the loss of family bond. Because of inadequate English skills, immigrants’ worst barriers are lack of information and cultural sensitivity, however, these can be lessened with better support services and programs that provide English language skills like the ESL program.

        The biggest barriers that immigrants face in the US is lack of information and cultural sensitivity. “Living in America” reports, “For many, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) also remains a mystery; interviewees knew very little about the laws governing their status, including the process around work and travel” (292) and that, “..most providers are still unprepared to deal effectively (with any cultural sensitivity) with the community” (297). Richard Rodriguez had a hard time learning English  because even though he takes English classes, his parents and siblings converse to each other with their native language before visitors asked his parents, “Is it possible for you and your husband to encourage your children to practice their English when they are home?” (308). He also recalled how his teachers were not approachable and did not bother giving him a friendly presence, “Without question, it would have pleased me to have heard my teachers address me in Spanish when I entered the classroom. I would have felt much less afraid” (307). Lack of information could lead to certain disadvantages for immigrants and refugees. Since their literacy is limited, they are restricted in accessing better opportunities and lifestyle. They could not express certain personal information or even appeal for any kind of special services and protection because they could be interpreted wrongly. Many parents believe that as soon as their kids started going to school, the society’s influences could “Americanize” their children. Since the people around them seem to not have cultural sensitivity, they are not given motivation nor feel at ease adapting to their surroundings.

        Immigrants greatly suffer from lack of information and cultural sensitivity because of inadequate English language skills. As an example, researchers say, “Immigrants and refugee patients can have a hard time understanding medical correspondence, whether it be over the phone, on paper, or verbal directions given in the doctor’s office” (297). As a result, these individuals neglect their health and not able to go to work or become unproductive. In Rodriguez’s case, he was obligated to learn English which developed into lack of cultural sensitivity and the bond he shared with his parents slowly vanished until he couldn’t use his native language to communicate with them, “The old Spanish words (those tender accents of sound) I had earlier used- mama and papa- I couldn’t use any more. They would have been all-too-painful reminders of how much had changed in my life” (309). Lack of proficiency in English language causes great impacts on immigrants and refugees’ lives and their way of living. Because of their incapability to understand and speak English, they often do not get substantiate information and address their concerns about certain issues. Immigrants and refugees who experience lack of cultural sensitivity from the society often feels that they are not accepted or acknowledged as human beings with own practices and beliefs.