Community discusses opportunities for immigrants in St. Joseph
By Jenna Wilson
Immigrants in St. Joseph and local groups gathered this week to discuss challenges that immigrating to the U.S. presents, specifically with careers.
The Hometown Immigration Immersion event was prompted by Missionaries of the Precious Blood St. Francis Xavier in St. Joseph, a Catholic community of priests and brothers who wanted to bring attention to the immigration population in St. Joseph.
“This program was developed for us to educate ourselves, discover and be ambassadors or people who can help integrate the immigrant into our midst by working together,” said Father David Metz, a missionary of the Precious Blood from the United States province.
Immigrants face many issues, specifically in the American job market. One immigrant, Rabab Boussaid, attained a bachelor’s degree back in her home country of Morocco and was a French teacher, but that degree is useless here for her in the United States.
“I have worked and studied very hard and have a good degree,” Boussaid said. “I can’t imagine myself working inside Walmart or any kind of other store or in a company as a normal worker. I worked hard to earn my degree so I should be able to get a good job in the profession I want.”
This is a challenge each of the immigrants in attendance shared after coming to the U.S. for many different reasons.
The majority of them came to the country through the green card lottery, granting them the ability to permanently work or live in the U.S., but going through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program feels like wasted effort for those not receiving the same work opportunities as other citizens.
“The interesting part of today is hearing stories from the immigrants about how they’re professionals in their own home countries, but then when they immigrate it, they go back to zero,” Metz said. “They have to go through the whole system or re-certify, which means an investment in more education that isn’t necessary.”
The room was full of immigrants who were lawyers, nurses and engineers, which is why local groups have spent the week gathering to let immigrants share their stories, and to provide them with resources that will help create equal opportunities.
“Primarily, if you just see what’s on the news, many times, you don’t see the full picture of immigrants,” said Nancy Clisbee, an adult education literacy teacher for the St. Joseph School District. “It’s very difficult to really understand the challenges and the values that they bring to the United States. We need more immigrants in the United States because our work population is dwindling.”
Despite issues they’re facing in the workforce, there are still resources available for immigrants in St. Joseph, and community members are organizing ways to welcome immigrants, Clisbee said.
“We have the Social Welfare Board that assists with medical care, the school district which provides English classes and some of the big employers in the city offer well-paid jobs to immigrants, so it’s going in the direction we want,” she said.
