What challenges did immigrants face starting with their journey to the United States?

March 27, 2013— -- UPDATE: March 28, 2013, 3pm

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said on Thursday that the woman apprehended was a 24-year-old Mexican national.

In a moment so well-timed it almost felt orchestrated, a group of senators touring a stretch of the border in Arizona encountered a woman trying to scale the border fence and cross into the U.S. on Wednesday.

See Also: Will The Next Immigration Wave Come From This Region?

The senators are part of a bipartisan group working on an immigration reform bill and were visiting Arizona to learn more about the border.

At present, reporters don't know who the woman was. She was apprehended by Border Patrol, according to a tweet by Sen. John McCain, a Republican member of the group in Arizona.

While we don't know anything about this woman, we'll venture that the 18-foot border fence wasn't the only obstacle that she confronted trying to reach the U.S. from Mexico.

In fact, for many migrants, the fence -- in this case, roughly as tall as two basketball hoops -- isn't even the most dangerous part of the journey north.

Here are some of the challenges that migrants might have to brave before reaching the border fence:

1. Travel

Geography plays a big part in how hard it is to reach the U.S.-Mexico border. If you're from Mexico, you'll have a shorter trip than someone coming from Central or South America. And some migrants come from as far as China to cross the southwest border.

For the poorest migrants from Central America, traveling north can mean riding on the top of a freight train that runs north through Mexico. Dubbed "La Bestia," or "The Beast," the train has a reputation for maiming its riders as they get on and off. Migrants also need to worry about getting robbed or raped by other riders. Even after a robbery, an unauthorized Central American migrant might be leery of going to the Mexican police for help.

The more money you have, the more comfortable you can travel. A bus ride or even a flight to the border would minimize the risk that other migrants face riding on top of a train, but for those without financial resources, that's not an option.

2. Health

Anyone traveling outside their home country might be concerned about a health problem cropping up.

But the risk increases when you factor in the nature of trying to cross into the U.S. illegally. Whether you're with a coyote, in an unguided group or alone, you'll likely want to cross in a secluded area to avoid detection.

The border around California is heavily secured, so that means crossing in via arid, remote parts of Arizona and Texas. That means when marching through the desert, a broken ankle can go from a minor injury to a fatality. Firsthand accounts from migrants included stories of people who are left behind when they are injured and can't keep up with the group. Add to this the temperature. In some areas, temperatures can soar during the day, but also plummet at night.

3. Food and Drink

When crossing the desert, dehydration can be a major concern. You can only carry so much, and it needs to last from when you enter the desert to when you leave.

If you get lost, you may suddenly find it takes days longer to cross than you had originally anticipated.

You might not find your bearings at all. Border Patrol finds the bodies of hundreds of migrants in the desert each year, and activists estimate that since 1994, there have been more than 6,000 deaths along the border.

The Arizona group No More Deaths has said the number could be five to 10 times higher, since the desert is so vast.

4. Money

This impacts every aspect of your trip. If you have a good deal of money, you can travel more safely.

Think about it: with enough money, you're probably more likely to hire a lawyer, try to get a tourist visa, hop on a plane and enter legally.

But most migrants crossing the southwest border illegally are coming to the U.S. looking for work. So the amount of money they have available for the trip north is probably limited.

A coyote will help you cross into the U.S., but can cost thousands of dollars. Still, there's no guarantee the trip will be a success.

Hundreds of thousands of people around the world leave their homelands and travel to other countries. Many are fleeing places of war, hunger, famine, and persecution. However, refugees and immigrants, especially, are faced with many barriers once they arrive in a new country.

What challenges did immigrants face starting with their journey to the United States?

Here are the most significant issues facing migrants today – and what you can do to tackle them.

1. Language Barriers

The language barrier is the main challenge as it affects the ability to communicate with others. That is because it is assumed that immigrants will learn English or French, depending on their preferences. This may negatively impact the quality of informed decision-making and the care experience for immigrants.

Language barriers can also amplify the effects of other sources of disadvantage. In some countries, immigrants get substandard health care because they cannot speak the native language well. Moreover, the differences between the languages of the first generation and second-generation migrants can harm immigrants.

2. Lack of Employment Opportunities

Immigrants are among those people who are most likely to face discrimination on the job. That is because there are many problems rooted in how assignments are designed and managed. Moreover, many immigrant workers are excluded from labor and safety protections that are enjoyed by native-born workers.

Newly arrived immigrants are usually disenfranchised in terms of their knowledge of the job market. At the same time, immigrant professionals face difficulties in obtaining recognition for foreign academic credentials. Therefore, better policies are required to help minimize the hurdles that refugees face in the employment process.

3. Housing

Immigrants are probably the most vulnerable group when it comes to housing. That’s because they face severe challenges finding safe, decent, and affordable housing. However, housing problems for immigrants are more than just the homeownership rate. Many of these recently settled immigrants are jobless and can’t afford to pay rent. Moreover, there’s a higher housing cost burden for illegal immigrants compared with their legal immigrant counterparts. These housing problems require national and local responses.

Those who manage to get better housing should use a better security solution, such as IdentityForce Theft Protection, to secure their data from prying eyes.

4. Access to Medical Services

People should have access to health care services regardless of their nationality. However, immigrants have low rates of medical insurance coverage and poor access to health care services. Besides, policy changes have limited immigrants’ access to insurance and health care. These barriers range from financial limitations to discrimination and fear of deportation. This has contributed to growing concerns about immigrant’s ability to participate in many free healthcare programs.

In many countries, undocumented immigrants aren’t eligible to buy health insurance coverage. At the same time, research shows that immigrant families often forgo needed health care because they fear discrimination. Also, many immigrants are not eligible for subsidized participation in national health insurance programs.

5. Transportation Issues

The ability to drive a car can be essential to getting many everyday tasks done. However, immigrants have limited options when it comes to accessing reliable transport. One of the most significant difficulties immigrants face is the age-related unreliability of their vehicles. Therefore, getting to work and limited transportation are all genuine issues for immigrants.

Immigrants have problems with their travel primarily because they face auto-related issues, including their vehicles’ age. Private transportation is also a problem since most immigrants can’t obtain a driver’s license.

6. Cultural Differences

The general understanding of immigrants is based upon falsehoods, misunderstandings, and myths. These false ideas cause large and unfair disparities in many aspects of their life.

Even well-settled migrants face ongoing cultural and communication barriers. This can range from social customs to more significant issues such as religion. For instance, children may feel ashamed that they don’t know the most famous music.

Fear and distrust of immigrants have fueled the creation and success of cultural myths in many countries. Even deeds done with a good intention can come off as culturally insensitive. Therefore, people should keep an open mind and desist from perceiving anything that is different to be “wrong.”

7. Raising Children

Growing up as the child of parents who immigrated to another country is not easy. The socioeconomic and psychosocial concerns that children of immigrants often face in a new country can be challenging. Depression, anxiety, and panic disorder are common among immigrants’ children.

The pressure that children of immigrants face is high, and mental health support is low. Unlike adults, children are still in the process of creating their identities. Therefore,  being caught between two cultures can create numerous internal conflicts.

Research has shown that children of immigrants are more likely to struggle in school. Other forms of discrimination they may face include discrimination, isolation, and financial stresses.

8. Prejudice

Many immigrants experience discrimination. In fact, there’s been a mammoth sweep of increased anti-immigration prejudice. These prejudices are exacerbated by how much news and information you consume. In particular, anti-immigrant attitudes sustain restrictive policies.

The prejudice tends to be either against all minority ethnic and religious groups. For instance, more non-EU migrants feel they face discrimination in the UK than those from Europe.

Many governments are stepping up efforts aimed at reducing discrimination and enhancing integration. That’s why we see more anti-racism and prejudice reduction campaigns on TV.

Final Thoughts
One billion people, one-seventh of the world’s population, are migrants. Despite these barriers, immigrants will continue to play an essential role in our communities and our economy.

What challenges did immigrants face in the US?

5 Challenges Immigrants Face When They're New to the Country.
Navigating life in a new language. Uprooting your life and moving to a new country is challenging by itself. ... .
Building your credit. ... .
Access to health care. ... .
Employment opportunities. ... .
The power of education..

What challenges did immigrants face in America in the 1800s?

Although they escaped famine and unemployment, the immigrants faced many challenges upon their arrival, including racism, poverty, and health issues. One of the main challenges these immigrants faced when moving to America was dealing with racism. They also had trouble assimilating into the American culture.

What challenges did immigrants face in America during the Gilded Age?

They were treated badly and disrespected. They didn't speak the language that their bosses spoke so they were treated differently. When they didn't reach their daily quota they would be deducted from their pay. They were also not allowed to go to the bathroom until their lunch breaks.

What were 3 factors that pulled immigrants to the United States?

Why People Came to America. United States for many reasons. They left because of economic, religious and political factors. Some came to avoid war, corrupt governments or religious persecution.