Some Vietnamese struggling with language barrier

Source: Fox 10 TV

BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala. (WALA) - Bayou La Batre is the seafood capitol of Alabama. Vinh Tran with Boat People SOS said that is what brought many Vietnamese to the area.

Asian fishermen face immigration challenges: fox10tv.com

"It was like a gold mine. You’re able to come here and support your family and work without using the English language," said Tran.

However, things are changing in their town.

The new immigration law taking effect on September 1 allows law enforcement to ask for proof of citizenship from anyone they suspect to be in the country illegally if they are stopped for another reason.

Most of the Vietnamese population in the Bayou came over during the Vietnam War and are here legally, but Tran said not many carry documentation, and since many don't speak English, they might not even know that's what an officer is asking for.

"With the normal routine, you give your license and registration. That is normal. The fact that you give it to them and they say, 'No, that's not what I want. I want your legal documents saying you're here legally.' The fact that they don't understand that ... They get nervous,” said Tran.

Tran said this tension could bring back memories of the mistreatment and lack of trust they had in the government they left.

"They feel that stress and they're in the situation where they're not in their comfort zone anymore. They just went from everything being normal to being in a situation where they might have past fears or post traumatic stress,” said Tran.

Officials in Bayou La Batre have been working with the Asian population for a long time and are well aware of these issues. Tran and others are always there when there is an issue with language or miscommunication. But what happens when they travel outside the Bayou?

"Bayou La Batre is small, but [Boat People SOS] is just a block away. But if you travel outside Mobile County, who could you call? Who could you talk to?” said Tran.

According to Tran, a lot of people lost documents during Hurricanes Katrina and Ivan, and getting new papers can be tough when you don't speak the language or understand any of the forms.

Share