The most common stereotypes related to immigrants are concerns raised by people about economics, culture, and violence. For example, some persons believe that refugees enter the country and take other people’s jobs, thus leaving many citizens without opportunities for employment. Other stigmas deal with supposed violence – the narrative that all immigrants are in the country illegally, and their behavior is criminal. Finally, the aspect of culture and its preservation arises often; people who come from different countries are believed to force their religion and traditions onto others, changing the historical background of the nation.
The majority of these stereotypes develop due to the lack of education and understanding of immigration and people’s relocation. For instance, the history of the US heavily focuses on the achievements of white people, while the origins of them coming to the continent are not emphasized. Moreover, the fear of being replaced as the dominant group is also prevalent in discussions. White people believe that by opening the borders and letting other cultures develop, they will lose the opportunity to preserve their own.
Suárez-Orozco and Suárez-Orozco (n.d.) explain that this fear arises every time a new wave of immigration occurs; it is often based on racist beliefs. One may suggest that the prejudice against immigrants grows when new ideas and traditions challenge one’s worldview. White people of European descent have a particular living experience that may differ significantly from that of a non-white immigrant.
Such stereotypes are dangerous on many levels, mostly because they increase interpersonal tension. Fear becomes the foundation for hatred, which, in turn, may escalate into violence and aggression. For example, the portrayal of immigrants as criminals who enter the country illegally has recently brought many problems to the people who wanted to seek refuge in the US. Gessen (2018) provides an example of news outlets showing a large group of people marching towards the US as a dangerous “caravan.” Various news sources declared these people a threat to border security and stated that they are a national emergency (Gessen, 2018).
Here, two significant stereotypes are exploited – the belief that these immigrants are committing a crime and that they are violent. Both of these statements are not true; immigration is a legal action, and their peaceful march was a cry for help and not an act of violence.
The instances of expressing biases also occur in real life, especially if the conversation concerns the latest news. I can recall an example when one of my friend’s brothers said that because of the immigrants coming into the country, many people would lose their job. I was mostly confused as to why he thought that it would happen. It is clear that people arriving in the country would need a job – but it also means that more people would need services and help.
As a result, new jobs would be needed to accommodate everyone’s needs. However, I also felt disappointed in the fact that somebody would deny a person a chance of moving to a place that they perceived as safe out of baseless fear. This is the main problem that should be overcome with dialogue and education. People who express concerns related to the problems of immigration should learn about the benefits of multiculturalism and newly arriving people. Here, education is the key to establishing an aware and supportive society.
References
Gessen, M. (2018). How the media normalizes Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric. The New Yorker. Web.
Suárez-Orozco, C., & Suárez-Orozco, M. (n.d.). What are the predominant stereotypes about immigrants today? Web.