Introduction
The acculturation process for forced immigrants and refugees has received academic attention through various experiences from affected individuals (Mikal & Woodfield, 2015). Refugees and immigrants face multiple challenges, including language barriers, financial constraints, racial discrimination, lack of support services, and adjustment problems (Wu & Nguyen, 2022). The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) lists the United States as the second-largest refugee-receiving country (Mikal & Woodfield, 2015). However, racism has hindered the progress of refugees in the United States (Wu & Nguyen, 2022). The critical race theory and conversations around racism highlight the plight of immigrant and refugee students in the United States, showing various challenges facing the vulnerable group through the vignette.
Vignette
Educational Barriers and Discrimination in Higher Education
Mr. BB is one of the immigrant students in America. BB, alongside other immigrants, enrolled in English classes to assess their comprehension of the English language, which helped them register for and complete high school and college (Interview Transcript, n.d.). BB was disappointed in college, following the treatment from college professors who would not give immigrant students sufficient consultation time, but would give it to other students. BB mentions having to schedule time every day to meet with his professor for help with his research studies. He encounters rude verbal comments from his soccer teammates.
Community Support and Resilience Among Refugee and Immigrant Students
BB’s close association with an AALV Boys and Girls Club gives him a sense of community. Through association with the club, BB finds help with scholarship applications and schoolwork, thereby navigating several challenging aspects of adjusting to college life (Interview Transcript, n.d.). The club helps him with classes that are difficult to comprehend. Through networking and forming relationships with others, BB successfully navigates a challenging college experience as a Black refugee in the American college system. BB tackled his challenges by believing in himself, including the language barrier and lack of knowledge, without giving up, unlike some other refugee students.
BB aspires to a career at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), where he aims to leverage his experience as a refugee to enhance the experiences of new refugees. He also advocates for diversity and inclusion in American institutions for the learning success of immigrant students. In the interview, BB says, “That is why I want to be there for the new generation…it will be fair to them” (Interview Transcript, n.d.).
He aims to raise awareness among other refugees about the American education system and other available opportunities. Mr. BB aims to create a unique experience for new immigrant refugees and ensure they achieve success. The discourse on racism calls for storytelling as a research tool to bring awareness to issues facing refugee and immigrant students in the United States.
The need for community support to help immigrant and refugee students successfully cope with racism and discrimination in college is crucial (Wu & Nguyen, 2022). Mr. BB says that older immigrant students should help new students in college to help them avoid similar discriminatory experiences (Interview Transcript, n.d.). BB had to find creative ways to get through his first year of college after being left unprepared at school. He says, “They just showed us how people go to school… just basics… We did not know that you must take 15 credits to graduate on time… which kept us behind for two years.” (Interview Transcript, n.d.). He mentions how one needs to be mentally strong to deal with racism (Interview Transcript, n.d., Mikal & Woodfield, 2015).
Moreover, insufficient institutional support for refugee and immigrant students has links to racial prejudice (Wu & Nguyen, 2022). Responsibility also lies with the United States’ higher education institutions to provide adequate support resources that help refugee and immigrant students meet their needs (Akanwa, 2015). Creating a supportive community equips refugee and immigrant students with relevant skills for a richly rewarding social and academic experience.
Language Barriers, Racism, and Social Exclusion
Mr. BB was one of the first groups of refugees to attend college and had no one to prepare him. When admitted to college unprepared, most refugee and immigrant students encounter mentally challenging situations that would be easier to tackle had they been prepared (Interview Transcript, n.d.; Mikal & Woodfield, 2015). Racism is one of the most significant challenges facing immigrants and refugee students, subjecting them to mental and physical strain, a concept of the critical race theory (Gonzalez, 2023). When professors understand the cultural differences faced by immigrant students, they are more likely to adopt classroom activities that help them adjust to their new learning system (Akanwa, 2015). Equipping refugee students with support services allows them to integrate into their learning institutions quickly.
Immigrants deal with exclusion and institutional alienation, which deters them from equal access to opportunities (Gonzalez, 2023). Mr. BB emphasizes the need for diversification and inclusivity in institutions in the United States to provide refugees and immigrants with easy access to services. With inclusivity, the language barrier will be overcome, enabling immigrants and refugees to access essential services, such as education.
However, enrollment in ESL classes eliminates the language barrier as it helps refugee and immigrant students have better academic experiences (Byraktar, 2023). BB mentions the impact of racism and exclusion, saying, “Most of our people are scared… that is why they are supposed to have someone who came from a different country… they will feel comfortable….” (Interview Transcript, n.d.). Equipping immigrants with avenues for allyship and support helps them feel accepted while living in a new country.
Institutional Responsibility, Inclusion, and Support Structures
Immigrant and refugee students’ unequal education opportunities make them vulnerable to discrimination. As mentioned by BB, a refugee student in America, the inability to schedule meetings with their professor prompts them to ask fellow White students, who racially discriminate against them (Interview Transcript, n.d.). Asian American students face unequal access to education due to the intersection of their refugee, race, class, and gender status (Wu & Nguyen,2022). The language barrier between parents of refugee and immigrant students and their children’s teachers creates a disconnect that leaves children navigating academic tenures on their own, ignoring the critical connection between home and school (Interview Transcript, n.d.; Haines et al., 2021). The relationship between home and school is essential in managing the well-being of refugee students.
Despite being one of the best soccer players of all time in Vermont, BB’s teammates described him as undeserving because of his inability to speak English properly. The language barrier has been identified as the primary obstacle to academic success for immigrant students in the United States. BB ignores the racist comments, knowing his worth and capabilities that keep him focused on his education. In the interview, he says, “We don’t care if they say that we don’t speak English, as long as you can understand what I want to say… what I need… where I’m going… that’s enough.” (Interview Transcript, n.d.).
Proficiency in the English language is essential for academic and social adjustment among refugee students, and the lack of it affects the performance of immigrant refugee students (Akanwa, 2015). Therefore, engaging immigrant students in English classes helps them avoid language barriers in academics and careers (Pudelko & Tenzer, 2019). The recognized relationship between English language proficiency and academic or career success informs the use of ELT tests to equip international students.
Advocacy, Future Aspirations, and Systemic Change
Mr. BB emphasizes the need to create diversity awareness among college professors to eliminate stereotypes against refugees and immigrants. Educational settings depict institutional and mainstream perspectives on race (Bu, 2020; Johnson, 2022). Giving training and orientation to University staff equips them with knowledge and skills to better serve immigrant students (Akanwa, 2015).
The United States immigration system has been tainted with systemic racism, creating discriminatory attitudes among some American citizens (Johnson, 2022). The UNHCR recognizes the need for institutions to assist refugees and displaced people in their settlement processes (Hamidi & Karachiwalla, 2022). Mr. BB’s appeal for more such interviews to educate the population against the brutal and racist treatment of immigrants (Interview Transcript, n.d.) indicates the extent of systemic racism in the United States. Creating awareness among key policymakers and educators in the United States would help provide refugee students with a more effective educational experience.
Conclusion
Mr. BB’s Vignette communicates that refugees face acute and systemic racial discrimination. Awareness of cultural diversity among a university staff is international, as shown in Mr. BB’s Vignette, one way to disrupt harshly misleading narratives and understandings about refugees and immigrants. The vignette shows the experiences of various forced immigrants and refugees who become victims of racial discrimination and racist challenges affecting refugee and immigrant students in the United States.
References
Akanwa, E. (2015). International students in Western developed countries: History, challenges, and prospects. Journal of International Students, 5(3), 271-284.
Bayraktar, B. (2023). We are supporting English language learners in the era of direct enrollment. Inquiry. The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges, 26(1).
Bu, L. (2020). Confronting race and ethnicity: Education and cultural identity for immigrants and students from Asia. History of Education Quarterly, 60(4), 644–656.
Gonzalez, M. A. (2023). “It snows year-round here“: A counterstory about Mexican/Mexican American/Xicanx Students’ experiences with racism at a predominantly white university in the Northeast. Journal of Latinos and Education, 1–19.
Haines, S. J., Reyes, C. C., Ghising, H., Almatouri, A., Hurwitz, R., Haji, M. (2021). The family-professional partnership between resettled refugee families and their children’s teachers: Exploring multiple perspectives. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 66(1), 52-63.
Hamidi, F., & Karachiwalla, Z. (2022). Structural accessibility barriers and service gaps facing refugees with disabilities in the United States. Journal of Enabling Technologies, 16(3), 89-203.
Interview Transcript. (n.d.). Interview with GG.
Johnson, K. R. (2022). Systemic racism in the US immigration laws. Indiana Law Journal, 97(4). Retrieved from HeinOnline.
Mikal, J. P., & Woodfield, B. (2015). Refugees, post-migration stress, and Internet use: A qualitative analysis of intercultural adjustment and Internet use among Iraqi and Sudanese refugees to the United States. Qualitative Health Research, 5(10), 1319 –1333.
Pudelko, M., & Tenzer, H. (2019). Boundaryless careers or career boundaries? The impact of language barriers on academic careers in international business schools. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 18(2), 213-240.
Wu, L., & Nguyen, N. (2022). From yellow peril to model minority and black to yellow peril. AERA, 8(1),1-10.