# Immigration: When English Isn't The Native Language, Difficulties Arise

Viral incidents of people berating others for not speaking English have gripped the internet. In one case, a New Jersey teacher insisted students “speak American.” In another, a New York lawyer threatened to call Immigration and Custom Enforcement officers after [hearing employees and customers speaking Spanish](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nyc-lawyer-aaron-schlossberg-who-went-on-racist-rant-against-spanish-speaking-workers-apologizes-fresh-kitchen/) at a lunch spot.  “It’s America,” he cried.  For immigrants, not speaking English can have implications besides dealing with ignorance. Their employment and education opportunities may be hindered.  **What the impact is**  According to the [Philadelphia’s Immigrants](https://www.pewtrusts.org/-/media/assets/2018/06/pri_philadelphias_immigrants.pdf) report by the [Pew Charitable Trusts](https://www.pewtrusts.org/en), speaking no English or even foreign-accented English can be tied to lower income, limited housing options and difficulty accessing adequate health care.  [Integration of Immigrants into American Society](https://www.nap.edu/catalog/21746/the-integration-of-immigrants-into-american-society), a report by the National Academies Press, stated that uneducated and low-skilled immigrants face more barriers to English proficiency, creating a cycle of not having the resources to learn English and suffering from it.  There has also been a widespread decrease in funding for English language learning programs, the report stated. In a 2017 [report](https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/02/23/512451228/5-million-english-language-learners-a-vast-pool-of-talent-at-risk), NPR found non-English speakers are often concentrated in low-performing public schools with teacher shortages. These students also had lower graduation rates than the average population in every state but one — West Virginia.   Most of the 3.8 million students studied in NPR’s report were native-born and U.S. citizens. Still, the amount of English language learners in Pennsylvania [increased by 69 percent](https://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/states-and-districts-highest-number-and-share-english-language-learners) between the 2002-03 and 2012-13 school years.  Lack of English proficiency can trap immigrants in labor-intensive job fields that have little room for promotions and income raises. According to [Pew](https://www.pewhispanic.org/2016/11/03/occupations-of-unauthorized-immigrant-workers/), the top three industries in 2014 for unauthorized immigrants, who are more likely to struggle with English, were farming, construction and production. For that year, these immigrants made up only 5 percent of the total workforce but 26 percent of America’s farmworkers.  Conversely, according to Pew’s Philadelphia’s Immigrants report, not having higher-level education is tied to immigrants creating their own businesses at higher rates. Without formal credentials to propel immigrants toward existing jobs, they’ll create their own.  **Who this impacts in Philadelphia** The same report notes there were no proficient English speakers older than 14 in a third of immigrant households in the city in 2016. This statistic has increased by 56 percent since 2000.  Total, there were about 68,000 Philadelphia residents with limited English skills. Foreign-born people who speak Spanish and East Asian languages are more likely to struggle than those fluent in European and Middle Eastern languages.  Of the residents who speak a foreign language at home, 48 percent reported that they speak English “well” or “very well,” and 30 percent said they spoke it “not well” or “not at all.”    **Resources in Philadelphia**  The city and Philadelphia-based organizations offer several resources for nonnative English speakers: 

- On its website, the [Department of Public Health](https://www.phila.gov/health/) has [downloadable resources](https://www.phila.gov/health/services/Serv_nonEng.html) in seven different languages for non-English speakers. It also has a hotline available Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., at 215-686-5200.
- The school district’s [Office of Multilingual Curriculum & Programs](https://www.philasd.org/multilingual/) offers several [programs for English language learners](https://www.philasd.org/multilingual/about/).
- Many [Free Library of Philadelphia](https://www.freelibrary.org/) branches [offer programs for nonproficient English speakers](https://philadelphianeighborhoods.com/2018/07/17/immigration-how-public-libraries-benefit-to-foreign-born-residents/).
- [The National Services Center](https://nscphila.org) offers [ESL classes and interpretation services](https://nscphila.org/lap/esl-and-language-proficiency) that guide immigrants through accessing services, like health care, in Philadelphia.
- [United Communities Southeast Philadelphia](https://ucsep.org) has free ESL classes for English speakers of any level four times per week.
 
 *-Text by Grace Shallow, image by Dylan Long.*