|
|
|
BAIRC in the News |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cities Overlook Immigrants, Study Suggests
Other civic groups more visible
By Jessie Mangaliman
San Jose Mercury News
06/09/05
Although they make up one-quarter of the state's population, immigrants and the groups that represent them have little influence in California's city politics and governance, according to a Public Policy Institute of California report to be released today.
A majority of city officials surveyed in 300 cities with large immigrant populations could not name a single immigrant group in their localities, the report, "Immigrants and Local Governance: The View from City Hall,'' states.
One explanation is that politicians see immigrants as a block of constituents who don't vote, ranking their influence as little or none when it comes to matters of local government and policy making, the report's co-author, Karthick Ramakrishnan, said.
Mayors, city council members, police chiefs and planning directors ranked neighborhood groups, public-employee unions and real estate associations as holding more sway, the report said.
Ramakrishnan and co-author Paul G. Lewis used a U.S. census benchmark – cities where immigrants make up 15 percent or more of the population.
"We figured these cities would have a good idea of their immigrant population and what their needs and concerns are,'' Ramakrishnan said. Only 7 percent of those surveyed said immigrant organizations were highly influential in city politics.
This "suggests that immigrants are a politically invisible population in most city governments, despite large numbers,'' he said.
The findings come as no surprise to many immigrant advocacy groups in the Bay Area and the state. ``It's a little disturbing,'' said Reshma Shamasunder, director of the California Immigrant Welfare Collaborative, a partnership of four immigrant-rights groups in the state.
"We'd really encourage cities and policy makers to take note of immigrant populations,'' Shamasunder said, ``because their children are future voters.''
To simply view immigrant residents as non-voters is shortsighted, said Larisa Casillas, policy director for Services Immigrant Rights and Education Network, a non-profit group in San Jose.
Casillas acknowledged that voter participation is an important issue in immigrant communities but it should not detract from the needs of immigrants.
"Immigrants want to be involved and have concerns and they face barriers and it's those barriers that can be addressed,'' Casillas said.
For instance, cities can do a better job providing translators in government meetings and hearings, Ramakrishnan said.
The study lends urgency and credence to projects that train immigrants in civic participation.
"Democracy works when the majority of the population is involved,'' said Maria Rogers Pascual, executive director of the San Francisco group Partnership for Immigrant Leadership and Action.
"It's really a big problem when you're not paying attention to a big segment of your demographic,'' Pascual said.
The group partners with community groups across the Bay Area to train immigrants from low-income communities how to get more involved in government and civic life.
"Just as our cities build ramps to give residents in wheelchairs access to city halls, our public servants should provide immigrants with the multilingual tools and staff they need to access their government,'' said Sheila Chung, executive director of the Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The Public Policy Institute of California report is online at: http://www.ppic.org/content/pubs/R_605SRR.pdf
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
