Vietnamese Immigration to America - Essay Example

Vietnamese Immigration to America Introduction The Vietnamese are a people generically influenced by the conjoining of the Indian and Chinese people. There origin is traced back to the mongoloid race distributed throughout east and north of Asia. To date about 86% of the Vietnam nation is made up of the homogenous Vietnam people. In addition, there are about 54 minority ethnic groups in the Vietnamese nation. The majority of these minority groups are the Thai and Hmong who have occupied the mountain regions of Vietnam. However, over years there has been extensive immigration of the Vietnam people to America. In this article, I intend to discuss on the veracities and history of the Vietnamese immigration and settlement into America. In addition I will focus on the process and impact of their migration into America. Conditions that led to the Vietnam migration Before 1970, there were almost no Vietnamese in American soil. Subsequently, as a result of the extensive war that was ongoing in Vietnam from 1959 to 1975 migration of Vietnamese into other nations began. It is vital to note that there had been war against the French and Japanese before the year 1959, it worsened from the year 1959. Consequently, the war left behind many widows and orphans who had nothing but to migrate because of the hostility that existed in Vietnam. By 1975, Vietnamese had already started migrating into America fleeing their nation which had largely succumbed to war and terror. This migration was facilitated by the fact that the Vietnamese leader by 1975 had strong relations with America (Parker 5). Such relations were in terms of supplying the USA with intelligence regarding the Japanese who Vietnam was also in the process of stamping out of their nation. The process of their journey Vietnamese History of Immigration has been partitioned into three waves. The first wave was April, 1975 evacuation by air and sea. 125,000 Vietnamese were airlifted on American Cargo ships. These were mainly the Vietnamese who had worked closely with the American government. It was an act of necessity because leaving them behind would be leaving them prone to oppression and prosecution. The Second wave was from 1975-1990s, Vietnamese escaped by land and Sea. The second wave began as an aftermath of the new Communist government’s implementation. This communist ideology involved conforming all Vietnamese to communist through economic, political and agricultural policies based on Communist ideology. Such policies mainly focused on torturing South Vietnamese and there relations. Most of these Vietnamese fled to asylums in Thailand by sea in search of refuge from torture in Vietnam. The second wave was highly comprised of Vietnamese from rural areas who lacked much education and were basically unskilled in most economic building aspects. The third wave was beginning of1980s, Government-Sponsored Program. It involved a spectrum out clearly set out laws that protected refugees from any inhumane treatment during transport and arrival in America. The first group of Vietnamese to migrate to America was skilled laborers who had close ties to the then Vietnam leaders. The number of Vietnam migrants continued to increase. The traumatic migration and settling of Vietnamese refugees experience played an important role in the forging of the American immigration policies. As a result the United States created a program called the Orderly departure program. It allowed for interviewing of migrants before approval of their migration into the United States. In addition after the withdrawal of the USA from the war the South Vietnamese government crumbled as it was not prepared for the prolonged war that was still ongoing. The South Vietnamese government feared for their safety and was hence taken over by the North Vietnam and The National Liberation front. Majority of South Vietnamese fled to the United States as refugees in fear of the oppression that was ongoing. Migrants who fled claimed Vietnam had become an unstable nation filled with terror and many were left homeless. The war degraded the Vietnamese economy and political system. What was left was a barbaric war of all against all in search for power and control (Barkan 1499). The Vietnamese government was so consumed by the war that they sort to invade Cambodia in 1979. The invasion broke out another war which led to further migrations into America. The United States had closer ties to the South Vietnamese. It provided for medical facilities, home quarters and sponsors whose sole duty was to take care of their resettlement. The United States even further created refugee camps which welcomed refugee and treated them cordially (Barkan 1500). This was however, contrary to the ill treatment given to Vietnamese refugees in other nations. With regard to the cordial treatment provided by America, USA seemed as the best fit nation for Vietnamese migrants relocate. Conditions upon arrive in the US America was an attraction to the Vietnam refugees because it gave them a hope for economic and social rehabilitation. America was at the brink of industrialization and there was a vital need for skilled workers to build up on infrastructure (Lieu, 78). This was so as to rebuild the damaged infrastructure and build up on America’s economic background. Vietnamese were highly skilled in machinery and over a wide scope in the field of engineering. America had an inviting attitude towards Vietnamese refugees because Vietnamese were hardworking and had ambition. Most Vietnamese immigrants settled in the warm regions of America, areas such as Texas and California. An analysis of the census done in 1990 proved that majority of Vietnamese lived in the two above mentioned states. This showed that the Vietnamese Migrants valued living close to one another and maintaining close family ties. Despite the welcoming settlement, the Vietnamese faced various challenges upon their arrival in the united state. They were only attributed to war written in historic books as little attention was given to their normal existence as new group of people to settle in the country. The Vietnam Americans were highly discriminated as they were only viewed as refugees who moved from a harsh environment to settle in a peaceful land. In this case, most Vietnam Americans were affiliated to violence. The Vietnamese also had a hard time settling in America as most of them live below poverty level in the 1990s. Impact on development and culture Upon settlement in America the Vietnamese have brought about great development and technological advancements. This can be evidenced by the fact that by 1995 most Vietnamese migrants had stable business ventures that were fast growing (Coleman 54). The National congress of Vietnamese Americans in 2003 stated that Vietnamese business had employed about 97,000 people and created an annual payroll of $1.1billion. Majority of Vietnamese immigrants by late 1970’s were fishermen and upon settlement they brought about advancements in the shrimp fishing and marketing system in America. The Vietnam refugees were forced to adapt to the American culture but also kept their original culture. Their main aim remained a high priority in education and commitment to their families. Due to their love for education, they have become one of the most productive groups in the economy of the United States of America (Grigorenko 172). Many of the Vietnam population have taken great interest in the civil duty (Lehman, 1). In cities like California, the Vietnam serve in various public offices have had an opportunity to serve in the white house as executive directors in White House Initiative on Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans. Many Vietnamese e have made an impact in the athletic as well as entertainment business with some of them featuring in famous movies and also in the London Olympics in 2012. As a result, the relationship between Vietnamese and the native has become normal due to their interaction through social and economical actives. However, the rate of poverty in the Vietnamese is expected to go higher as a result of their rate of migrations in the United States. According to the 2000 census, the total population of the immigrant Vietnamese was 1,223,736. This made the fifth largest population of Asian immigrant which is after the Chinese who take the highest count, followed by the Filipino, Asian Indians and the Koreans (Lehman, 1). Vietnam Americans population is expected to rise in the coming years due to their family relations with other Vietnamese back in their motherland. Vietnamese culture entails strong family ties thus the Vietnam Americans are expected to invite there family member to live in the United states in the course of seeking for employment. The Vietnam refuges have made a great impact on the revising of immigrant policies in the United States of America (Campi, 1). Initially, the US government only addressed refugees under the Ad Hoc legislations which made the lives of refugees hard while in this foreign land. In 1965, the Immigrant and refugee act was amended to accommodate for the resettlement of refuges. However, this was designed to settle refugees under the category of entrant which meant that refugees were to be defined by their geographical and political regime(Coleman 57). As a result, some refugees were treated better than other in consideration of their nation’s political and geographical affiliations with the United State. The Vietnam refugee crisis was recognized as a world problem after the Vietnam War in 1975 which led to much Vietnamese migration from their native home in order to seek peaceful environment where they can co-exist (Campi, 1). Due to this factor, the United Nations was forced to convene the conference in relation to matters concerning the mass population of Indochinese refugees around the world. The conference was held in Geneva in 1968. It was then that United State agreed to a resettlement country for refugees. The national government of Vietnam formed by communist Vietnamese agreed to stop illegal migration of Vietnamese to foreign states such as the U.S, France, the United Kingdom, and Canada which were signatories of the resettlement county policy. The Orderly departure Program was launched under the portent of the ‘UN High Commissioner for Refugees’. The new refugee resettlement policy allowed refugees to enjoy almost equal rights with the native citizens of the foreign country they settle in as a result of immigration. It is through these steps that the Vietnam Americans as well as other refugees living in the United States became entitled to human right Act which protects their existence in the refugee country. In this case, it is evident that the Vietnam immigrants have played a significant role in promoting a good relationship between refugees living in the United States and the native citizens of this nation. Conclusion The Vietnam Americans are currently settled in the United State as they have ultimately embraced the American culture as well as introducing their native culture in the foreign land (Coleman 92). The Vietnam migration has led the introduction of a new culture in the United States which is made from a blend of the Native American culture and the Vietnamese original culture. Through their love for educations and skills in machinery, the Vietnamese community has played a major role in the improvement of the American economy. Work Cited Barkan Elliott Robert. Immigrants in American History: Arrival, Adaptation, and Integration. New York. ABC-CLIO. 2012. Print Campi Alicia. Immigration Daily. From Refugees To Americans: Thirty Years Of Vietnamese Immigration To The United States. New York. American Immigration LLC. 52(1).(Retrieved: 29th march 2014). 2014. Pp 1-1. Print Coleman Lori. Vietnamese in America: New Hampshire. Lerner Publications. 2004. Print Grigorenko Elena L. U.S. Immigration and Education: Cultural and Policy Issues Across the Lifespan: Boston. Springer Publishing Company. 2012. Print Lehman Jeffrey. The Advocates for human Rights. Energy of a nation: Immigrant Resources 2nd Ed. New York: Gale Group. 2000. Pp. 1-1. Print Lieu Nhi T. The American Dream in Vietnamese: Minnesota. U of Minnesota Press. 2011. Print Parker Lewis K. Why Vietnamese Immigrants Came to America: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2003. Print Read More