To Philly from Vietnam: ‘Immigrants should not be used as scapegoats’

My family came to the U.S. in 1975 as a result of the war in Vietnam. I was 9 years old when I, my parents, and six siblings — ages 5 to 19 — arrived in Philadelphia with refugee status. I am now a naturalized U.S. citizen.

We lost everything by leaving Saigon. We had to start over and learn a new language to find housing, new schools, and new jobs for my father and older siblings. But Philadelphia was not intimidating to us. My father spoke English and several other languages, so he was able to help our family navigate the new culture better than most other refugee families.

Even if other refugee families manage to get jobs and homes, finding their place in a community — creating a new “home” — is very difficult. Home is where we should feel safe and supported, where neighbors help each other, and act in unity to maintain a strong community. But racism against Asians in general — and the anti-immigrant sentiments against refugees — makes integration very difficult.

Thankfully, support for immigrants and refugees is better now than it was in 1975 when my family arrived, but that is mainly due to a handful of nonprofits and community-based organizations working to help arriving families.

Currently, refugees only receive a few months of financial support when they arrive. Our government needs to provide more sustained funding for job training, ESL classes, digital literacy, and educational services. Livable-wage job placements for newly arriving families would go a long way in helping those families become self-sufficient.

Elected officials also need to fight against anti-immigrant messaging. We speak of our country as a melting pot and immigrants as the cornerstone of our nation, yet our actions do not honor that sentiment. Misinformation and the ideology of white supremacy that has taken root in our society is a danger to our democracy. Immigrants, refugees, and communities of color bear the brunt of the blame for social and economic problems. Immigrants should not be used as scapegoats in politics, nor should we be pitted against other communities of color and working-class individuals.

I chose to stay in Philadelphia because I am committed to working to keep it a safe and welcoming place for everyone. Fighting white supremacy is important to me, and Philadelphia’s nonprofit organizations are organizing against anti-immigrant sentiments and legislation. Our commitment to making Philadelphia a sanctuary city is crucial to the economic and cultural vibrancy of the region.

Thoai Nguyen is a first-generation refugee from Vietnam and grew up in South Philadelphia. Since 2005, he has been the CEO of Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Association Coalition (SEAMAAC), an organization based in South Philadelphia that serves and advocates for thousands of immigrant, refugee, and other economically marginalized families each year.