Exploring the Impact of Immigrants\u27 Views of Public Sentiment

Immigration is an issue that has become increasingly important in American society. An understanding of the issue of immigration, as well as the various issues related to it, is essential in the social work profession. It is apparent through recent changes in national immigration policies that the “pathway to citizenship” is becoming increasingly difficult. The literature reveals that public sentiment about immigration strongly influences the development of these policies. In addition to the influence that public sentiment has on policy-making, it is equally important to understand the ways in which public sentiment impacts immigrants’ perceptions of themselves. This research study provides an overview of the issue of immigration, with a specific focus on the internalization of immigrants’ perceptions of public sentiment. The researcher hypothesized a relationship between immigrants’ views of public sentiment and the ways in which they view themselves. Seventeen immigrants from six different countries participated in this exploratory study. Data was analyzed by comparing participants’ responses to questions about perceived feelings of Americans with responses to questions about their views of themselves. The results did not support the hypothesized relationship. The research study demonstrates the need for social workers to increase their knowledge about the issue of immigration, as well as their awareness of the influence of public sentiment