By: Beludji Narcisse, Research Associate
What does it take to support undocumented populations in the U.S.? Aside from money, effective communication and historical and cultural context relating to undocumented newcomers matters greatly. I do not pretend to know what running an immigrant-serving organization is like. I have only been a volunteer in nonprofits so far. However, I have been a subject of nonprofits that have helped me as an undocumented youth dealing with housing instability in Connecticut. If someone asked me what marked me the most in my experience, I would instantly reply by saying how I was received and treated. Communication plays a huge role in the reception and treatment of undocumented persons and, more importantly, in the type of support they receive. Communication entails a simplistic kind of welcoming atmosphere that makes a place trustworthy in a polarized climate in which undocumented immigrants tend to avoid services due to fear of deportation. However, it can also entail something more complex, like whether or not the immigration status should be asked by nonprofit staff. Access to translation services, though not as readily available and of a simplistic nature, is also critical to effective communication.
Furthermore, how nonprofit actors or individual advocates communicate justifications for immigrant support services matters. Previous research demonstrates that framing certain groups of undocumented immigrants as deserving of public services due to their economic contribution or educational attainment harms the whole community because it is exclusive language. Advocates for undocumented immigrants can recenter their focus on giving aid for the sake of it while grounding themselves in the historical context of U.S. involvement in Latin American affairs that led to waves of immigration from the region after 1965. The recent negative messaging on Haitian immigrants is a case in point. The economic contribution of Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, revitalizing a dying town did not stop people from denigrating them. The best way to communicate pro-immigrant messages is not necessarily by only talking about the contributions of immigrants but also their humanity and the role of the U.S. in their home countries.
Could I help someone without knowing their need, origin, and background?Certainly not. And that is how basic communication must be for immigrant-serving organizations. Undocumented immigrants come from various places, including Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Asia, and Africa. Persons with undocumented status living in the United States often deal with an array of worries over their future. The most recognizable is “the apprehension of deportation” (Aborode et al., 2023). Fear of being deported coupled with the “state of being homeless” can lead to a significant “amount of stress, anxiety, and physical illness among undocumented immigrants, thereby affecting their mental and physical well-being” (Aborode et al., 2023). Thus, communicating effectively with homeless undocumented immigrants can be done with the previously mentioned factors in mind.
In my case, homelessness was a breaking point in my life, as it made me think of how important having a stable roof was to one’s ability to dream. I was twenty years old, and suddenly, I was faced with the urgency of finding employment and a place to stay.. At the same time, I knew I wanted to go to college. It was not easily reconcilable in my mind. However, I am grateful for the social workers and youth coordinators who engaged in meaningful conversations with me and advised me on a path to community college. I felt seen and heard not just as an undocumented person struggling with housing but also as a youth with dreams and aspirations. Migrants need to be defined by way more than their status. They have dreams, aspirations, and hopes that can highlight their humanity and show their potential contribution simultaneously.
Concerning effective communication, the complex question undocumented immigrants may face when seeking nonprofit services is about immigration status. In an article titled “The Undocumented Experience: Best Practices Tool for Community Advocacy and Support from Nonprofits,” Merrimack College scholar Olivia Rosa (2022) laid out a curriculum that can be used by immigrant advocates and nonprofits and encouraged discussion between community leaders through interviews. Rosa (2022) emphasizes a critical aspect of nonprofit support for undocumented immigrants. In her study, some participants showed reserve regarding asking immigrants about their status (Rosa, 2022). Other participants stressed the importance of knowing one’s status to give guidance and redirect them to available resources (Rosa, 2022). This is especially true for immigrants facing homelessness.
To apply for assistance, depending on location, social workers must know about immigration status. Applying for health coverage in CT as an immigrant is a case in point; not all undocumented persons are eligible for coverage. Some undocumented persons may not have a social security number or work authorization card, making it difficult to apply for health insurance. With that said, it is unnecessary to ask for immigration status for help with necessities such as food and hygiene products. Questions about status might frighten people seeking help. It is prudent to ask about status only when necessary.
In addition, effective communication encompasses access to translation services. Reliance on “Lingua Franca colonial languages like English, French, and Spanish is not always ideal” (Davila, 2023). The recent waves of immigrants speak various languages, from Mayan languages to Swahili to Haitian Creole. Having people on site with the linguistic ability to help with document translation and filing can help diminish the time for an immigration or housing assistance relief application and reduce the cost of relief and assistance programs because if people are not getting the help they need due to ineffective communication, they are likely to keep looking for further assistance constantly.
Ineffective communication is particularly concerning for housing relief nonprofits, as the time spent on migrants due to language barriers can be saved by hiring translators for greater efficiency. The same goes for public hospitals, although not non-profits; access to language in hospitals is relevant to the topic. A study published in the National Library of Medicine found that “an academic hospital could save an estimated $161,404 each month by avoiding 119 readmissions when patients had consistent access to interpretation” (Eldred, 2018). Access to language services reduces the likelihood of recurrent service seekers for the same issue. In Connecticut, 22% of residents over five years old speak a language other than English. Language access must be an important pillar of any service-providing non-profit (Perkins, 2022). In Connecticut, the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants understands the barriers of language. It provides translation services for over 30 languages, helping to translate documents to facilitate the integration of immigrants (Cirict, 2023).
Another pillar of communication relates to advocacy for immigrant causes and its implication for policies. “Previous research about pro-immigrant sentiment shows that supporters of undocumented migrants advocate for them by using a discourse that ultimately reifies their exclusion” (Morales; Farago, 2021). Recently, like previous immigrant groups in the U.S., Haitian immigrants were smeared by statements they were eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. We heard the usual defense in support of the Haitians that they work hard and pay taxes. One could ask if immigrants under legal status can be accused of such depraved attacks; what about those who cannot work, find housing, or get a living; what about those who toil in jobs under the table for little pay? While comments that rely on the economic contribution of immigrants might seem unharmful, they are exclusionary and lead to policies that make it hard for the most vulnerable to receive help.
Nonprofits serving immigrant communities must engage in inclusionary language when communicating with immigrants, as it helps derive better ways to support everybody.
To recap, communication has huge implications for how immigrant populations receive help. Nonprofit workers can make immigrants feel welcome through effective communication. Immigrant-serving organizations must go beyond just cordial conversations by providing translation services, making it easier to help and support them. They can also engage in inclusive language when it comes to supporting immigrant communities by sending messages of solidarity to all immigrants regardless of status, origin, or level of contribution.
References
Morales, J. F., & Farago, F. (2021). “Of Course, We Need to Help the Undocumented Immigrants!”: Twitter Discourse on the (Un)deservingness of Undocumented Immigrants in the United States during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Sociological Perspectives, 64(5), 765–785. https://doi.org/10.1177/07311214211005494
Rosa, O. (n.d.). The Undocumented Experience: Best Practices Tool for Community Advocacy and Support from Nonprofits. Merrimack ScholarWorks. https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/soe_student_ce/73/
Dávila, L. T. (2023). Immigrant outreach and language access during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Applied Linguistics. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amad035
Perkins, K. (2022, October 10). CT immigrant advocacy group wants more resources for non-English speakers at hospitals. Connecticut Public. https://www.ctpublic.org/news/2022-10-06/ct-immigrant-advocacy-group-wants-more-resources-for-non-english-speakers-at-hospitals
Aborode, A. T., Lawal, L., Agwuna, F. O., Adewunmi, R. O., Ubechu, S. C., & Badri, R. (2023). Health disparities among illegal immigrants and homeless people in the USA: a struggle within. International Journal of Surgery Global Health, 6(6). https://doi.org/10.1097/gh9.0000000000000362
Cirict. (2023, March 31). Translation Services – Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants. Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants. https://cirict.org/translation-services/