Exploring the Unique Immigration Experience of Arab Americans in California - Research Paper

Introduction

Globalization has led to a world where people are no longer restricted by boundaries as they can now travel to various parts of the world with fewer restrictions. One notable group that makes up a huge part of the immigrants in California is the Arab American group. Arab Americans are as varied as their countries of origin. They have a distinct immigration experience which has shaped their ethnic identity in the United States of America. Even though a majority of Arab Americans are mostly Christian immigrants, Arab American Muslims are the fastest growing element of Arab Americans. California has continued to host various immigrants as it provides multiple opportunities to them. This paper seeks to provide better insights into the Arab American Community based in California.

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Reasons Why the Arab Americans Migrated to California

In every year, new immigrants from the Arab part of the world mainly select California as their new home other than in another state in the United States (Khoury, Dalia, and Manuel 43). This increase sparks interests as of why they mainly choose California. Firstly, most of them have earned permanent residency visas; therefore they always want to be in a place where most of them exist. They find it best to stay where most of their fellow Arabs stay; for more natural connections. Research indicates that California has the highest number of Arab immigrants as based on its locality( Khoury, Dalia, and Manuel 43). Most of the Arabs come to California, especially in San Francisco and San Diego for business purposes. They choose California because it is linguistically diverse and has more economic opportunities than some of the interior states which have less economic opportunities and are linguistically homogenous. California also has a diverse culture which makes it an excellent place where immigrants can settle.

Expectations That Arab Americans Have Before Moving to California

Most Arab American immigrants come to California to establish better lives for themselves as well as for their family. They expect to find a place where everything is well-set economically and a place where their businesses will flourish. Arabs are generally business oriented people, and they always seek to market their business and achieve huge profits. As a result, they always seek a conducive environment for their businesses. Most of them come with the expectations that California will offer them a better environment that will enable them to achieve financial success. California is also not guarded by cultural constraints like most of the Arabic countries of origin, hence presenting them an opportunity to expand their businesses and expound on their living standards. They always expect that California will present better opportunities than their countries of origin

Problems Faced

However, moving to a new place can be intriguing and challenging altogether. Arab Americans usually face a series of challenges when they relocate to California. One significant challenge is the fact that they always face segregation when in a new country. This hurdle is especially evident in the case of Arab Muslims who are alienated on the basis of their religion. Research indicates that most Arab Americans are treated with hatred, fear, and suspicion which presents a backlash in their development (Pampati 379). Most of them suffer from the stereotypes that have been propagated about them and are mainly victims of discrimination. Most Arabs are stereotyped as being advocates of terrorism simply because of their ethnic background. This presents a restraint in the relationships between the native Americans and Arab Americans. It also serves as a drawback tool as it hinders them from achieving the desired economic prosperity.

Living in California has changed the cultural identity of some Arab Americans in their quest to fit into the demands of the culture presented by their environment. Most of them have to integrate with the culture of the workplace so that they can meet the various policy requirements. Living in an area where people have multiple cultures may also lead to assimilation into those respective cultures (Khan, Mussarat, and Ecklund 56). Some of the most common transitions include the change in religion and change in dressing. Most would want to fit into the general population and hence leave their cultural practices, in pursuance of other people's way of living. Most people are assimilated into western culture after living in California for a long time.

Arab American's Contribution to California

There has been a successful integration of the Arab immigrants into the American society, and this is depicted by the socio-demographic variables and contribution in California. The Arab Americans have been successful at launching successful businesses which are beneficial to the residents in California. Most of these businesses contribute to the employment of the residents of California. They also make a great impact through income and tax contribution through their various works. Arab Americans are known for being successful businessmen and diligent workers at their workplaces.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Arab Americans are an integral part of the state of California. This is as manifested by their various significant contributions. Generally, they are part of the most dominant immigrants in California, and they significantly add to the economic value of the state.

Works Cited

Khan, Mussarat, and Kathryn Ecklund. "In America, Negative Attitudes Toward Muslim Americans Post-9/11 Are Varied." Hate Crimes (2017): 56.

Khoury, Dalia, and Jennifer I. Manuel. "Development and validation of measurement of multicultural competence toward Arab Americans." Best Practices in Mental Health 12.1 (2016): 43-60.

Pampati, Sanjana, et al. "Mental health outcomes among Arab refugees, immigrants, and US-born Arab Americans in Southeast Michigan: a cross-sectional study." BMC psychiatry18.1, 2018, 379.