Perspectives

Minnesota is home to 340,000 immigrants, and an estimated 37 million immigrants live in the United States. People come to the United States, as they have for hundreds of years, to join family already here, to fill jobs sponsored by U.S. employers for which no U.S. worker was available, and to flee war or persecution. While the challenges of adjusting are many — for newcomers and the communities where they settle — the potential benefits of successful immigrant integration to the broader society are significant.

Successful integration, however, is not determined solely by the actions immigrants take and the resources they possess. The reception they receive from the host community — supportive, neutral or negative — plays a critical role. Integration is a two-way process in which newcomers and established residents share responsibility for the well-being of one another and of the broader community. It requires change on the part of the immigrant and the receiving community and is a dynamic give-and-take process that takes place over time. Ideally, it transforms both the newcomers and the receiving society, creating a new whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Through the integration process, the receiving community learns to respect the skills, languages and cultures that newcomers bring and, simultaneously, plays an active role in meeting their needs. Over time, long-established residents come to recognize immigrants as assets who contribute to the long-term vibrancy, prosperity and health of their community.

Immigrants and refugees — and the organizations that represent them — also bear responsibility for integration. Newcomers must do their part to become contributing members of society by learning English, getting involved in their children’s education, sharing their cultures and participating in democracy. Voicing concerns and ideas, working together with long-time residents toward common goals and taking part in community decision-making are all part of the integration experience, leading to better health for everyone in the community.

Partners in change

The engagement of all stakeholders in the newcomer and receiving communities — as well as those who bridge the two —  is critical to the integration process. The newcomer community includes:

• Immigrants and refugees and their families
• Immigrant-based organizations, such as mutual assistance associations
• Immigrant civic, religious and political leaders

The receiving community includes:

• Native-born neighbors
• Community institutions, such as schools, places of worship, businesses, hospitals, foundations, unions, etc.
• Government agencies
• Elected officials

All these sectors have a self-interested stake in promoting immigrant integration. All have a shared future.

Pathways to integration for healthier communities

Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees has identified six strategic pathways through which immigrants and the receiving community can work together to provide resources and opportunities and leverage the human capital that immigrants bring.

1. Communitywide planning

Communitywide planning creates intentional opportunities for immigrant and receiving communities to work together to identify barriers, develop policies and implement programs that facilitate immigrant integration. They can be as simple as creating a community garden or address more complex issues, such as improving health care competence.

2. Language and education

With most immigrants arriving with limited or moderate English skills, eliminating language barriers to services and providing opportunities to develop English proficiency are essential for successful integration. Acquisition of English leads to a higher standard of living as newcomers gain access to education and job training opportunities, as well as community services and institutions. Maintaining native-language competency is a strength in light of today’s transnational marketplace and global interdependence.

3. Health, well-being and economic mobility

Health care, employment and other services and resources that promote economic mobility are essential for helping immigrants establish a foothold and contribute fully to society as workers, entrepreneurs, taxpayers and community members. Economic mobility is a traditional indicator of the level of integration, although higher income also enables families to live in safer neighborhoods and is tied to better overall health.

4. Equal treatment and opportunity

Fair laws and policies that promote equal treatment and opportunity are critical building blocks for successful integration — and for building a fair and humane society. Having a level playing field for immigrants increases the quality of life and increases opportunity for all community members.

5. Social and cultural interaction

Interaction between newcomers and the established community are critically important to foster understanding, build trusting relationships and lay the foundation for mutual engagement. Over time, residents learn about and come to respect one another’s cultures and traditions, both the similarities and the differences. Community events, cultural production and performance, and civic participation are important vehicles for social and cultural interaction and eventual integration.

6. Civic participation and citizenship

Civic participation and citizenship demonstrate immigrants’ desire to become active community members and also provide an avenue for newcomers to increase their ability to shape community priorities. Opportunities for newcomers and established residents to participate together in community problem solving, leadership development and democratic practice are vital to the integration process.

Benefits of healthy integration

The benefits of successful immigrant integration are significant:

• A vibrant, cohesive society shared and valued by established and newcomer residents of different experiences, histories, ethnicities and backgrounds
• Revitalization of declining communities through the contributions of immigrant families working in tandem with their native-born neighbors, creating healthier neighborhoods
• Stronger, healthier communities with the ability to meet wide-ranging needs
• Increased productivity and a robust economy through an expanded base of workers, consumers, taxpayers and entrepreneurs
• Global competitiveness through a multi-lingual, multi-cultural workforce
• A more vibrant democracy in which all groups are accepted as equal members of society with the opportunity — and responsibility — to engage and contribute to the common good.

Our country is at a pivotal time. We have an unprecedented opportunity to use the talents, creativity and resources that we all possess. By working together, drawing on diverse opinions, experiences and cultures, we can shape our nation’s future so that all members of society — regardless of race, national origin or socioeconomic statue — live in dignity and equality.