10.2: Immigration
- Page ID
- 216727
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Immigration
The U.S. is a nation of immigrants, yet immigrating to the U.S. is a complex process rife with challenges. Many immigrants, including children and families, need safety, shelter, transportation and legal counsel as they resettle and build their new lives.
An immigration social worker assists immigrants in accessing the resources they need to thrive and helps them navigate the immigration process. Immigration social workers also advocate for the well-being and safety of immigrants in transition so they can establish a stable, flourishing life in the U.S.
Social workers can further support immigrants by understanding the challenges they face in coming to the U.S., particularly in navigating the school, health and legal systems. This type of support is a cornerstone of the social work profession, and social workers should strive to learn more about how they can assist clients who have immigrated to the U.S.
Immigration Challenges In America
Social workers strive to help immigrants overcome the many obstacles they face. Consider just a few immigration challenges in America today.
Immigration can be a traumatic experience that takes a toll on the emotional and psychological well-being of immigrants as they uproot their lives. The American Psychological Association notes that immigration policy debates often overlook the personal and communal challenges of immigration, including the following:
- Premigration stressors due to family separation, social exclusion, limited employment opportunities, civil war or chronic poverty
- Feelings of loss, sadness, grief and loneliness due to family separation and language difficulties
- Culture shock and stress stemming from the acculturation process: the dynamic process of adapting to a new culture by behavioral and psychological adjustment
Additionally, immigrants may experience environmental, economic and sociopolitical challenges in the process of adjusting to life in the U.S. According to Hyojin Im, an associate professor of social work at Virginia Commonwealth University, immigrants encounter many different structural barriers during the immigration process, often simultaneously. In her 2020 article published in The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, Im explained that such challenges include the following:
- Limited material resources and property
- Legal challenges
- Barriers to health care
- Barriers to education
- Unstable housing
- Fragmented or limited social support systems due to high mobility
- Barriers to social services due to a lack of translators
- Xenophobia, stigma, discrimination and marginalization
Challenges Undocumented Immigrants Face
The Brookings Institution estimated that, in 2019, anywhere from 10.5 million to 12 million undocumented immigrants were living in the U.S. (3.2 to 3.6 percent of the population). Because of their precarious legal status, undocumented immigrants are especially vulnerable to acute stressors, including the following:
- Toxic stress
- Anxiety related to the threat of deportation
- Limited access to health care and legal aid
Attribution: The Role of an Immigration Social Worker