There’s a growing segment of the American population that is, for lack of a better way of putting it, “anti-immigration.” These naysayers who support legislation to make immigration into the United States more difficult have a lot of misconceptions they try to put on immigrants — particularly Central American immigrants. However, the libertarian think tank, Cato Institute, recently published statistics from a study that proves many of the ideas of immigration naysayers wrong.
Here are a few statements that are just flat out wrong regarding Central American immigrants:
Misconception #1: They can’t speak English
Like any immigrant coming to a country that speaks another language, most Central American immigrants don’t speak English upon arrival. However, the longer they live here, the more English they learn. Eventually, the vast majority of immigrants learn to speak the local language.
Misconception #2: They’re unskilled and unemployable
This is simply not true. After living in the United States for a year, Central American immigrants enjoy an employment rate of the same or higher than the aggregate U.S. population of working adults.
Misconception #3: They’re uneducated
Many Central American immigrants come to the United States lacking high school diplomas — approximately 50 percent. However, the facts show that their children complete their schooling at the same rate as other Americans. Furthermore, Central American immigrants quickly increase their socioeconomic status in the United States the longer they live here.
Don’t believe the misconceptions. Central American immigrants bring a lot to the United States in terms of skills, employability, diversity, hard work, incredible family values and education. If you or your loved one wants to come to the United States as an immigrant from Central America, learn about U.S. immigration law and what’s required to permanently live in this country.
Source: qz.com, “Data disproves the idea that Central American immigrants in the US don’t assimilate,” Ana Campoy, accessed May 18, 2018