Top Issues Facing Immigrants

For the next few weeks we will begin discussing the top issues facing immigrants. Our goal with this blog is not to discourage anyone from immigrating, it is to educate and inform to help make it easier to settle down.

According to research prepared for the Robert Wood Johnson foundation and conducted by Lake Snell Perry Mermin, these are the top issues facing immigrants. While there may not be one solution that fits all, our goal is to point to the resources available to help people dealing with the following issues

1. Legal status (lack of legal documentation)
2. Language—lack of proficiency with English
3. Exploitation and Discrimination
4. Stress
5. Undiagnosed and untreated mental health conditions
6. Problems with the schools
7. Lack of job mobility and low-paying jobs
8. Lack of transportation and physical isolation (especially for women)
9. Safety

The researchers in this study found that though immigrants come from such diverse backgrounds with different cultures, they all share similar challenges. You may not be experiencing all of these challenges or even any of these challenges right now but having the information may help you become a connector in your community for immigrant families coming to your area. Keep reading this week as we tackle the very complex issue of legal status.

To start learning more about how to handle immigration issues read Immigration Attorney-Christina Cruddens's blog. Here are some of the titles of her tops posts

• Getting ready for your first immigration court hearing
• Tips for writing a compelling asylum affidavit

• What if you have already been ordered deported or removed?

• Marriage Fraud: What it is, and what it's not
• What if I entered illegally?

If there are other issues that top your list, please post a comment or email us at themakutilounge@gmail.com. 

The Uglies of Being an Immigrant

While immigrating to a new country presents limitless possibilities, it comes with a set of challenges that many people do not like to talk about. I try hard to dwell on the positives but sometimes it is good to look at the realities and learn how to deal with them. Here are some sad realities of living abroad

1. There are many people with PHD's that drive taxis in developed countries
2. Like many other places in the world, getting a degree does not guarantee a job. It is definitely not enough to just get a degree. You must also develop serious selling skills. 
3. You will be lonelier than you initially expected
4. Your quality of life may suffer due to long work hours
5. You will struggle with the cultural differences
6. You will struggle with dealing with racial issues which are still a reality in many places
7. The nice car, house with a picket fence sometimes comes at a high price
8. If you fall on hard times, you may find yourself alone. 
9. Your community abroad may not be the same as the community you left at home. Most people are trying to survive and manage their own lives
10. You may not receive a call when you submit your resume if you have an ethnic sounding name
11. You may end up doing a job you never imagined to make ends meet
12. Your accent may sometimes cause a perception problem

The USA today posted an article about Educated immigrants struggling to find work. What are some unpleasant situations you have encountered?