Florida: Syrian refugees in a Spanish speaking community

In the past decades, waves of refugees have arrived and resettled in South Florida. About 47,000 refugees have moved to Florida since 2002. Since the outbreak of Syrian civil war, the number of Syrian refugees resettled in Florida has been growing in recent years — almost 800 Syrian refugees relocated to Florida last year compared to 151 in 2015. However, there are not many Arabic speakers resettled in Florida before these Syrian refugees fled there in 2010.

Previous resettled refugees in Florida are Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Colombians, and many Cuban and Haitian migrants choose Florida as their natural landing place. For instance, approximately more than 55,000 Cuban and Haitians moved to the state in 2016.

Cuban immigration has influenced Miami-Dade to a large extent, according to 2015 Census, there is more than 900,000 Cubans in Miami-Dade region, which covers approximately 35percent of its total population. In contrast, the Syrian community in Miami area remain relatively small — approximately 3,000 people according to last year’s American Community Survey.

Cuban Refugees’ Mixed Feelings About Syrian Refugees Coming to Miami

Cuban immigration has influenced Miami-Dade to a large extent, according to 2015 Census, there is morn than 900,000 Cubans in Miami-Dade region, which covers approximately 35percent of its total population.

Amilkar Delgado and his family resettled through DCF about two years ago. He enrolled in a local high school and now he is preparing for applying for college. Amie’s father works at a local copy shop and his mother stays at home to take care of his younger sisters and brothers. The family consists of two parents and three children. Now her mother has pregnant for eight months and plans to give birth to their baby in mid-June.

“The agency helped us to find this apartment,” Amilkar said. His family now lives in a two bedroom old apartment without an elevator. Expecting a new member, they are thinking about moving to a new three bedroom with elevator. “My mom has trouble going upstairs since she is pregnant, and we live on the 5th floor,” Amilkar added.

They have been talking with their case manager for about three months, but they didn’t get any respond yet. “It’s difficult to find a place we can afford by ourselves,” Amilkar said. He also wants his own bedroom because he needs to concentrate on his study and prepare for college from next semester.

“Our case manager has been helping another two Syrian families in the past months,” said Amilkar. His family and other Cuban refugees families recently resettled felt since their agency has taken more Syrian refugees, they pay less attention to them. “The agency gives more resources to them,” said Amilkar. “We knew that they just found a place for another Syrian family, but they didn’t respond us in three months.”

Since 2014, more and more Syrian refugees have been resettled in Miami-Dade area. And the data also shows that fewer Cuban refugees got resettled in these areas.

Cuban Refugees number drops since Florida started to take more Syrian refugees in 2014

Syrian Refugees Struggling in Hispanic Community

“It’s difficult to live without language,” Kamar Asghar, a 27-year-old Syrian refugee who arrived in Miami-Dade County one year ago with her husband and children. She said she really wanted to improve her English skills. She also mentioned many local people spoke Spanish and it was even more difficult for her and her family to understand.

Syrian refugees resettle in a community with huge Cuban population in Miami-Dade

When the Asghar arrived, they had work permits, Medicaid and an apartment west of Miami-Dade. But it took them three months to find a public school for their kids. And her kids had very limited English skills and formal education background at that time.

She and her husband didn’t know how to buy bus fare, much less how to navigate routes. Asghar learned where she could sign up for English classes only three weeks ago. It was very tough for her to find a job because lots of jobs require English or Spanish skills.

“We are thinking of moving to California,” Asghar said. “I have many friends resettled there.” For Asghar, they don’t have any relatives or close friends in Miami. But since their kids are finally enrolled in local schools, their only concern is the decision might affect their kids’ study. Now, her family lives on cash assistances and food stamps provides by their resettlement agency and a dish washing job her husband takes with minimum wage. “He can find a good job in California, ” said Asghar. Her friends told her they could help them if they move there.