Poverty Among Second Generation Immigrants In The United States

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Poverty among second generation immigrants in the United States

Over the past decades, a significant amount of study has been done on the well-being of

immigrant children in the United States. Compared to their parent immigrants, the adult US-born

children are considerably better off when it comes to socioeconomic attainment. In contrast to

the first generation, they have higher incomes. It was under the assumption that the second

generation would adapt to their new environment better than their immigrant parents. Research

has shown that the current wave of immigrant children presents a bigger challenge to educators

than any other. They also present huge psychosocial and educational challenges. Children that

migrate to the United States today, 1.5 generation, represent a variety of diverse and interesting

cultures despite the fact that some have little formal education (Gans 65). In the US, immigrant

children and adolescents are the fastest growing population especially in New York, California,

Florida and Illinois states. The immigrants’ children, both half and second immigration

designation experience difficulties in cultural identification, lack of English proficiency issues,

and racial discrimination thus resulting in the risk of trauma.

Researchers have widely used ethnographic research procedures to reveal some

differences in immigrant families, children, and groups. These studies have however highlighted

major psychosocial and educational barriers that are in immigrant children. Immigrant children

face some special circumstances of educational circumstances and needs (Portes 373). In

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addition to poverty, these challenges include coping with emotional stress, constant residential

mobility as a result of new environments, family separations, war traumas, inadequate social

support and lack of psychological from the society at large. The obstacles that are faced by the

immigrant children in the United States are undoubtedly interconnected and complex. Some of

them include; psychosocial and cultural adjusting, acquisition of the English language and a

limited formal education to some extent. An interview conducted by a student at the Rutgers

University to two immigrant adolescents, Yaw Appiah from Ghana and Kenneth Oplon from the

Phillipines describes the many problems that the immigrant adolescents face which include

segregation and racial injustices (Immigrant Children interview video).

The 1.5 generation may experience traumatic conditions due to abandonment of their

culture, families, and social systems. Portes acknowledges that supporting the psychological

maturity and adjustment of the immigrant children and adolescents is just as important as

intervening in education-related issues like multicultural education programs or social outreach

centers (501). Notably, one should not ignore the fact that children who immigrate leave behind

lives that have been integrated into the family, a social system, and culture. They may sometimes

endure the trauma of leaving a relative behind, losing a familiar place, difficulty in accessing

shelter and food. Also, for those who illegally get into the United States, the added fear of being

discovered and deported by authorities is also traumatizing (Gans 67). There are several mental

health risks involved in the immigration process that is often difficult. Sometimes, the victims

face post-traumatic stress disorder. Portes claims that this is a condition that is especially

experienced by children immigrants from Asia or Central America.

More so, the immigrant children have difficulties with cultural identity; with the dilemma

of two groups, immigrant children often find themselves stranded since they cannot identify

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themselves with either. They come in collusion with the norms that their parents provide while

still wrestling with the different norms that society provides (Farley 669). This leads to a cultural

conflict since these two cultures are often in opposition to one another. For immigrant children,

this is a difficult choice since they have to pick either culture that their parents provide or the

mainstream one. Additionally, intergenerational conflicts often arise between immigrant parents

and their adolescent children. This results due to what the adolescents may consider being good

for themselves versus what the parents want to impose on them.

Furthermore, these parents have to rely on their children for interpretation. This often

seems to erode the parental authority that they have and reflects a superior language mastery

which means that they are more exposed to responsibilities, crises and adult issues (Portes 377).

Parent-child conflicts are strong indicators of self-esteem in children. Also, different sex roles in

the United States compared to other cultures in the world might induce conflicts. Compared to

boys, girls are likely to be held against stricter rules and expected to conform to traditional

cultures that do not value female education. Consequently, Portes suggests that this might place

girls in a position of conflict with their parents when they try to alter their ‘traditional path’

which may lead to low self-esteem and symptoms of depression (523). Children are likely to

suffer mental health complications as a result of long-term separation from their parents.

Children often migrate to the United States after their parents settle in and in the meantime left

with their relatives. This leads to mixed feelings when the children are finally reunited with their

parents.

While still adjusting to the mainstream society, immigrant children are often the subject

of racial discrimination (Farley 700). Farley explains that the majority of these immigrant

children feel a certain hostility among Americans that is directed towards them. Statistics show

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that most students have been bullied, spat on, pushed around or called awful names just because

of their ethnicity or race. Interestingly, those that have faced discrimination on their ethnic

grounds are more likely to identify with it. For example, Mexicans who are constantly harassed

because of their ethnic origin are more likely to identify with it than with the Americans. The

second generation immigrants, however, report the most cases of prejudice (Gans 72). This

results in the second generation feeling more deprived since they had higher hopes and

expectations.

Immigrant children face unique challenges as they adjust to a new language, life, and a

new culture. They are suddenly bombarded with the enormous pressure of adapting to new and

evolving relationships and roles within their social connections and families. According to

Portes, the differences between the school environment and the family environment are likely to

cause tensions among immigrant children due to the context of these two environments (501).

This may result in them not developing a belonging to the school which is paramount to their

educational success. Portes has suggested that there might be enormous differences when it

comes to solving problems that are school-related (375). Immigrant adolescents might find

themselves alienated from the school support networks hence reducing their connectedness with

the school. For example, research has shown a negative relationship between test scores of

Mexican students and school grades or psychological stress.

The whole immigration process often proves to be a traumatic and stressful experience

for the immigrant parents and children. Research has shown that immigrant students have even

outperformed their native peers in school when it comes to successfully handling their new

environment (Farley 721). Additionally, most immigrant children possess a certain resilience that

goes on to toughen them up socially or educationally. However, those that do not successfully

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adapt are at risk for engaging in destructive behaviors like psychological distress, substance

usage and educational failure (Portes 380). Portes goes on to note that children who develop this

resilience report a strong social support around them that comprises of friends, family, and other

societal members who support them through life. These students also report a positive interaction

with their teachers and the school administration showing their care towards academic

achievement.

These protective shells appear to negatively affect the children develop as the longer they

adapt to the social norms and live in use, the more they lose their ‘protective shells.' This then

causes further conformity which results in a decline in motivation and academic achievement.

Farley investigated a couple of psychosocial variables that might be related to Puerto Rican

adolescent immigrants getting involved with drugs (707). The research showed that as the

adolescents became more accustomed to the US culture, parental control declines, parent-

children conflicts become more rampant, school and church involvement decreases and an

increase in drug usage is noted. On the contrary, Latino-American adolescents experienced

suicidal attempts and depressive symptoms due to a high level of psychosocial stress. Also,

Chinese and Cuban adolescents who conformed too quickly and isolated themselves from their

ethnic origin experienced maladaptive behaviors and stress disorders. These youths were trapped

between the American world and their ethnic world, and they felt that they belonged to neither of

them.

Several theories have tried to explain both why some immigrant children adapt easily

compared to others and why some specific members of a particular immigrant group go through

the adaptation process more successfully. One theory takes into account the child’s individual

traits like sex, age, temperament, cognitive appraisal among other external factors like parental

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roles to explain the child’s response to stress (Portes 520). The other approach involves studying

of immigrant children and their respective adaptation focusing on issues like how the

immigration process can increase the individual’s coping skills which in return broadens their

opportunities (Gans 81). Putting these theories together to explain the relationship between

adaptation, migration and psychosocial stress will help in analyzing the immigration experience.

In conclusion, immigrant children are brought up in traumatizing conditions as they face

discriminations and difficulties learning new language and culture which is tormenting. The

migration experience can prove to be quite traumatizing especially for the adolescents and

children. Many get into the country of plenty; the land of the free and brave thinking that things

will be better. What they go through, however, is not easy to put into words. This leads to

psychological stress which harms their development in society despite the very few that see a

way through all the hardships. Most immigrants in U.S especially the second generation, are

poor and experiences undesirable living standards.

Works Cited

Farley, Reynolds, and Richard Alba. "The new second generation in the United

States." International migration review 36.3 (2002): 669-701.

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Gans, Herbert J. "Second-generation decline: scenarios for the economic and ethnic futures of

the post-1965 American immigrants." Immigration and integration in post-industrial

societies. Palgrave Macmillan UK, 1996. 65-85.

Immigrant Children Interview Video." YouTube. N.p., 2017. Web. 7 Dec. 2017.

https://www.youtube.com/wa tch?v=vVLvc2UtxnI&t=100s

Portes, Alejandro, and Dag MacLeod. "Educating the second generation: Determinants of

academic achievement among children of immigrants in the United States." Journal of

ethnic and migration studies 25.3 (1999): 373-396.

Portes, Alejandro, ed. The new second generation. Russell Sage Foundation, 1996.

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