Haitians Assimilate Well in the United States

David J. BierHaitian immigrants have received more attention in recent weeks after the U.S. governmenttrapped them in terrible conditions at a  camp along the U.S.-Mexico border and is now using extraordinary legal methods toexpel more than 500 per day. But there is no reason to oppose Haitian immigration. Despite extreme challenges, Haitians integrate well into the U.S. economy and society. Across numerous economic and social measures, Haitians and their U.S. descendants contribute to and prosper in their new country.First Generation Haitian Immigrants AssimilateHaitians mostly speak Haitian creole —a mix of French and West African languages. Rates of English among Haitians are quite low, and this is reflected in the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey data: more than two thirds of Haitians above the age of 25 do not speak English well upon moving to the United States (Figure 1). How ever, this rate falls quite dramatically as Haitians remain in the United States over a long period of time, to only ~17 percent after 10 or more years of residence.Labor market integration is among the most important indicators of assimilation. Although most Haitians arrive without jobs, a  majority of adults find work within 1 year. After three years of residency in the United States, Haitians actually had a higher rate of employment than the population on average, peaking at nearly 80 percent, or almost 20 percent higher than the national average.Haitian immigrants ’ initial...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs