Meeting the Social Service Meeting the Social Service Needs of Immigrants: Needs of Immigrants:

Challenge and OpportunityChallenge and Opportunity

International Bank of Commerce Keynote Speaker International Bank of Commerce Keynote Speaker Series,Series,

The Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric The Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric Trade.Trade.

Texas A&M International University,Texas A&M International University,

Wednesday, November 2, 2011Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Our Personal Journeys

“Once you have travelled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers, that the mind can never break off from the journey”

Pat Conroy, The Prince of Tides

A World in MotionA World in Motion World migrant population reached 214 million in 2010 (3.1% of World migrant population reached 214 million in 2010 (3.1% of

the world’s population). the world’s population). International Organization for MigrationInternational Organization for Migration

IDP’s (27.5 million), Refugees (15.4 million), internal migrants IDP’s (27.5 million), Refugees (15.4 million), internal migrants (???), seasonal migrants, international students and visitors(???), seasonal migrants, international students and visitors

Cultural and linguistic diversity extends into the 2Cultural and linguistic diversity extends into the 2ndnd and later and later generationsgenerations

The traditional paradigm of one-way migration doesn’t always The traditional paradigm of one-way migration doesn’t always hold.hold.

Disproportionate flows to specific countries, regions within Disproportionate flows to specific countries, regions within countriescountries

The Ten Countries with the Highest Numbers of International Migrants (2005)

Rank 2005 Millions

1 United States of America 38.4

2 Russian Federation 12.1

3 Germany 10.1

4 Ukraine 6.8

5 France 6.5

6 Saudi Arabia 6.4

7 Canada 6.1

8 India 5.7

9 United Kingdom 6.4

10 Spain 4.8Source: Trends in Total Migrant Stock: The 2005 Revision, United Nations Department of

Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division POP/DB/MIG/Rev.2005/Doc, February 2006.

 

Division, POP/DB/MIG/Rev.2005/Doc, February 2006.

Foreign-born Population as Percent of Total Population (Selected OECD Countries)

  1995 2000 2005

Australia 23.0 23.0 23.8

Canada 17.8 18.8 19.1

Austria -- 10.5 13.5

US 9.3 11.1 12.5

Sweden 10.5 11.5 12.4

Ireland -- 8.7 11.0

Netherlands 9.1 10.1 10.6

UK 6.9 8.2 9.7

Norway 5.4 6.5 7.8

Denmark 4.8 5.8 6.5

Finland 2.1 2.6 3.4

The Challenges Facing The Challenges Facing Migrating PeopleMigrating People

The rigors of migrationThe rigors of migration The aftereffects of traumaThe aftereffects of trauma Language and cultural barriersLanguage and cultural barriers MarginalityMarginality Family stressFamily stress Racism, xenophobia, and Racism, xenophobia, and

discriminationdiscrimination Intergroup tensionsIntergroup tensions

Mobility and the American Experiment

There is an emerging historical scholarship on the long roots of multiculturalism in U.S. and Canadian history

Our Multicultural Past as Prelude to the Future

The settlement house movement and the rise of social work as a profession

The many meanings of “Americanization” and the development of “patriotic pluralism.”

The Chicago School addresses the “Second Generation Problem”

The intercultural education movement, 1924-1941

Four Pioneers

Edith Terry Bremer1885-1964

Rachel Davis Dubois1892-1993

Louis Adamic1899-1951

Frances Kellor1873-1952

The Impact of the Civil Rights Movement

Produced a “scaffolding” of laws and public policies designed to eradicate segregation and discrimination in American life

These reforms helped blacks but were also beneficial to the entire population, including immigrants.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Banned discrimination in employment and public accommodations on the basis of race, religion, sex, and national origin

Title VI prohibited discrimination by recipients of federal funds

Led to the development of the cultural competency movement

Established the principle of inclusion in human services

The Re-emergence of Immigrant Integration as a Policy Objective

Post-1965 Surge of Immigration

Communal Tensions and the Terrorist Threat

Examples:

Korean grocer boycott, Brooklyn (1990)

Mt. Pleasant Riots, Washington, DC (1991)

Los Angeles Riots (1992)

World Trade Center Bombings (1993, 2001)

The Jordan Commission

“Americanization is the process of integration by which immigrants become part of our communities and by which our communities and the nation learn from and adapt to their presence.”

The Jordan Commission (1995)

Foundations Promote Immigrant Integration: Some Milestones

Ford Foundation (1986) Formation of

Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR)(1990)

Establishment of Four Freedoms Fund (2003)

Release of Toolkit on Immigrant Integration (2006)

National Immigrant Integration Conference (begins in 2008)

States initiate projects to promote States initiate projects to promote immigrant integrationimmigrant integration

Executive Order Project ReportsState of Illinois, New Americans Interagency Task Force, Immigrant Integration: Improving Policy for Education, Health and Human Services for Illinois' Immigrants and Refugees (December, 2006).

State of Illinois, New Americans Policy Council, For the Benefit of All: Strategic Recommendations to Enhance the State's Role in the Integration of Immigrants in Illinois, Year One Report (December, 2006).

State of Illinois, New Americans Policy Council, For the Benefit of All: Strategic Recommendations to Enhance the State's Role in the Integration of Immigrants in Illinois, Year Two Report (June, 2008).

State of Maryland, Maryland Council for New Americans, Fresh Start: Renewing Immigrant Integration for a Stronger Maryland (August, 2009).

State of Massachusetts, Governor's Advisory Council for Refugees and Immigrants, Massachusetts New Americans Agenda (October 1, 2009).

State of New Jersey, Department of the Public Advocate, Governor’s Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel on Immigrant Policy, Recommendations for a Comprehensive and Strategic Statewide Approach to Successfully Integrate the Rapidly Growing Immigrant Population in New Jersey (March, 2009).

State of Washington, Washington New Americans Policy Council, A Plan for Today, A Plan for Tomorrow: Building a Stronger Washington through Immigrant Integration, Year One Report (October, 2009).

The Perils of an Immigrant The Perils of an Immigrant Integration AgendaIntegration Agenda

– Often conflated with the issue of Often conflated with the issue of undocumented migrationundocumented migration

– Often perceived as an attempt by politicians to Often perceived as an attempt by politicians to curry favor within specific ethnic communitiescurry favor within specific ethnic communities

– Lacks appeal to other disadvantaged Lacks appeal to other disadvantaged populationspopulations

– Lacks appeal to native-born peopleLacks appeal to native-born people– Methodological shortcomingsMethodological shortcomings

The immigrant integration dilemmaThe immigrant integration dilemma

Future Directions

Subsume immigrant integration into a larger diversity agenda

Build cross-sector alliances and social justice movements inclusive of an integration agenda

Reform immigration policy to make it more responsive to U.S. workforce needs and more welcoming to global talent

Example: Infusing integration objectives into cultural competency

Greater precision in defining cultural competencyBuilding an evidence base for culturally competent interventionsPursuing a systems approach to cultural competency

A Systems Approach to Cultural Competency

Public Policy & Legal Framework

Research & Evaluation

Advocacy & Empowerment

Leadership

Recruitment Policy

Training & Professional Development

Community OutreachLanguage & Communication

Community Collaborations

Practice & Service Design

Public Policy & Legal Framework

Research & Evaluation

Advocacy & Empowerment

Leadership

Recruitment Policy

Training & Professional Development

Community OutreachLanguage & Communication

Community Collaborations

Practice & Service Design

Link

http://www.paddc.org/images/stories/pdfs/systems_change_for_greater_cultural_competence_in_the_pennsylvania_disability_service_and_support_sector.pdf

Towards a New SynthesisTowards a New Synthesis Mobility and diversity will be “the new Mobility and diversity will be “the new

normal.”normal.” We will find new and creative ways to reflect We will find new and creative ways to reflect

diversity in the design and delivery of human diversity in the design and delivery of human services.services.

We will have a clearer understanding of We will have a clearer understanding of immigration and diversity as keys to immigration and diversity as keys to economic development.economic development.

We will build alliances and social justice We will build alliances and social justice movements that span ethnic and racial movements that span ethnic and racial divides.divides.

We will celebrate diversity and harness its We will celebrate diversity and harness its energy.energy.

Selected Resources

National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy (Migration Policy Institute)

http://www.migrationinformation.org/integration/

Welcoming Americahttp://www.welcomingamerica.org/

Cities of Migrationhttp://citiesofmigration.ca/

The Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX)http://www.mipex.eu/

The American Immigrant Policy Portalhttp://www.usdiversitydynamics.com/nj/

THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTIONFOR YOUR ATTENTION

Nicholas V. MontaltoNicholas V. MontaltoPresidentPresident

Diversity Dynamics, LLCDiversity Dynamics, LLC16 South Avenue, Suite 25216 South Avenue, Suite 252

Cranford, NJ 07016Cranford, NJ 07016201-320-1669201-320-1669

www.usdiversitydynamics.comwww.usdiversitydynamics.com