New Study Spotlights Foreign-Born: A Growing Presence, With More to Come

By Len Lazarick



Drive up sometime to what used to be called the Golden Triangle Shopping Center at routes 40 and 29 in Ellicott City, and you might wonder what country you've landed in.

The clientele at the dozen stores are largely Asian, the signs are in Korean and English, and the Lotte Plaza market looks, feels and even smells like the kind of emporium you might find in Seoul or Shanghai.

Look around more closely, and you'll notice that while the cashiers and managers are Korean, the baggers, the shelf-stockers and the men sorting the bok choy and snow peas are Latino, speaking to each other in Spanish, as are the ball-capped workers scaling and gutting the array of whole fresh fish. They seem to communicate with the older Korean man who runs the seafood section by hand gestures.

This multicultural scene is just one of the many outward signs that Howard County has become a magnet for immigrants. Nearly one out of every eight county residents (11.3%) is foreign-born, now more than 30,000 people, an increase of 147% since 1990. In 10 years, the figure is expected to rise to 46,000, with one out of every six people here born in another country (16%). "Howard County has the third largest foreign-born population in Maryland," said Susan Rosenbaum, director of citizen services for the county.

Those numbers explain why the county and The Horizon Foundation financed a $50,000 study released last month to present the latest data on the immigrant population, their experiences and implications for county services.

The hard data was largely massaged from U.S. Census information. But a Gaithersburg consultant also conducted 35 interviews and ran eight focus groups to find out more about the foreign experience to advise and assist county agencies, schools and the Foreign-born Information and Referral Network (FIRN), a local nonprofit group which assists the foreign-born. The study was unveiled at the monthly luncheon of the Association for Community Services, which attracted more than 100 people from agencies and organizations.



Over Half Are Asian

It's no surprise that more than half the immigrants in the area are Asian (54%), nearly a third of those are Korean and about a fifth are South Asian (India and Pakistan). The next largest and fastest growing foreign-born group is from the Americas, with about a fifth from Mexico, and large numbers from Jamaica and Haiti as well.

About half of the foreign-born (45%) live in Columbia and another large contingent live in Ellicott City (26%), with strong concentrations of Koreans there reflected both in the stores and churches.

The study also depicts two distinct waves of immigration, with some of the more recent immigrants arriving after 1990 having lower incomes and less education than the earlier contingent made up mostly of highly educated professionals.

While the numbers of immigrants has been well known since the census figures came out, the study documents why the foreign-born came to Howard County, describes the difficulties they face, and makes recommendations about what the county can do to help the immigrants and their families integrate into the community. The full 101-page report can be found on the Howard County Department of Citizen Services web site at www.co.ho.md.us/CitizenServices/csdocs/ForeignBorn NeedsReport-Final.pdf. It includes a seven-page executive summary, as well as charts and graphs.



Similar Reasons

Prepared by Kien Lee and two other foreign-born researchers at the Association for the Study and Development of Community in Gaithersburg, the study says the foreign- born come to live in Howard County for some of the same reasons as other residents.

The county is located in a metropolitan area between two cities "where economic opportunities are plentiful," the study said. It is a "'safe' community with low crime rates," an excellent school system and close proximity to major higher education institutions such as The Johns Hopkins University, a fact mentioned more by Asians than members of other groups.

There were "mixed perceptions about the nature of cross-cultural communications in Howard County," the report said. But "I think in general it was good," said Lee, the lead author.

Some people noted "small town values" here in which immigrants are treated with surprise, but others found "an integrated community that is 'better than most places.'"

"Almost all foreign-born interviewees emphasized the kindness of the many long-time residents who have made an effort to help them," the report said. "The majority of their criticism appeared to be directed toward institutions or systems with which they have had a negative experience."

Most members of the immigrant groups are least likely to turn to public agencies and programs when they need help. They first turn to family and friends, then to faith institutions and schools, to their own advocacy groups. Asian immigrants, in particular, stayed away from any form of public assistance, since "going to public agencies — was seen as shameful," said Lee. Latinos, particularly those with lower incomes, are more likely to seek public assistance.



Notable Findings

Other notable findings from the study include:

Language: "Latino, Ghanaian and Haitian immigrants were described as a having the greatest language needs, compared to Asian immigrants," said the report. While interpretative help is promised or required by state law in many agencies, many immigrants found those services lacking.

Schools: Public schools were a bright spot, partly because of foreign-speaking parent liaisons in many schools, which have extensive programs in teaching English as a second language. But parental involvement by immigrants is often lacking, for one, because many Latinos and Koreans are working multiple jobs and long hours, leaving little time to help their children with schoolwork. Also, among the Asian community, the respect for education and teachers is so high that they do not see a responsibility to be involved in the school.

Employment: "Many interviewees, both foreign-born and long-time United States residents, reported frequent discrimination in the workplace," the report found. The report cited no examples, other than some complaints received by the county Human Rights Commission.

Family: There are often generational issues within families, when children must be relied on to translate for their parents, or parts of families are brought to this country in stages due to immigration laws. There are also concerns about children becoming "Americanized," in the sense of learning bad habits and resisting parental control. South Asians in particular expressed concern about dating by their teenagers.

Elderly: There is a growing population of foreign-born elderly, brought here by their grown children, and often the providers of child care for younger children. But these elderly immigrants are sometimes isolated in their homes because they don't speak English very well and they often can't drive.

The study identifies many points of tension between native-born Americans and the foreign-born, especially among school students, but it also pointed to the need to overcome stereotypes and prejudice on both sides.

The report recommended a number of specific training programs to help institutions and systems to become more responsive to the foreign-born, rather than just a small group of responsive individuals stretched thin within organizations.

It also recommended ways to help the immigrants themselves better understand and participate in American life in areas where it is substantially different from their own cultural experience. That includes identifying and supporting new and established immigrant leaders and bridge-builders between communities.

"You need to think about what it deliberately takes [to foster] a cross-cultural environment," said Lee, including transforming institutional policies, which she conceded is "the toughest" to do.

"The study shows that Howard County is on the right track for helping the foreign-born adapt to their new lives and become part of our community. But clearly, more can be done to strengthen intercultural bridges," said Roy Appletree, executive director of FIRN. "Several organizations and governmental agencies are working hard toward that end, and this study will be valuable to help those organizations identify priorities and work together more effectively."