Finding Home Again: Reflections on the Immigrant Experience

By Ashna Mitta

Ashna Mitta, Intern at Coalition for Racial Equity and Social Justice (C4J)

Recent events have prompted me to reflect on the immigrant experience.   Not exactly as a headline or a policy fight, but as something deeply personal, as something I've watched through the eyes of people I care about.

As a South Asian, I learned that when I first began to understand the immigrant experience, "home" can be complicated. One woman I met used to quietly whisper when she spoke, even in private, out of a lack of confidence. Others screamed when they talked. The first woman told me that growing up, she'd been taught to "suck it up" whenever she was hurt or scared. She said that, for her, being assertive meant being silent. It saddened me because I saw that same quiet strength in those from my past.  In many immigrant households, survival becomes the priority; speaking up feels like a luxury. Yet, in this struggle, I also saw a remarkable resilience. Understanding these immigrant experiences is crucial to raising awareness and fostering a more inclusive society.

That silence is beyond cultural; it's generational, political, and emotional. It's what happens when people build entire lives in a country that still makes them feel like guests.

What's Happening Right Now

Within this month, federal agents conducted a sweep on Canal Street in New York's Chinatown, targeting street vendors, causing protests across the city (AP News).  Educators are quietly trying to protect their students as immigration enforcement increases, re-evaluating what "safe zones" really mean for children of undocumented parents (Migration Policy Institute).

Mental-health professionals have also been aware of the trauma these families are living with and the constant fear, the uncertainty, the quiet grief of separation. They play a crucial role in providing support and guidance to these families, helping them navigate the challenges of the immigrant experience (American Psychological Association).

When I read about these stories, I don't just think about "immigrants" in the abstract. I think about the aunties I have known my whole life who pack extra dinners for the neighbors they barely know. The Uber drivers' cars and live with the fact that they are calling their mothers in a different country every night. 

My View

Growing up, my entire community, as diverse as it was, was going through the immigrant experience. What my neighbors, peers, family friends, and direct family were going through. I saw it in small moments: the instinct to make yourself smaller, to blend in, to not be "too loud." And yet, in those same spaces, I've also seen the fiercest love. Community potlucks where everyone brings food from "back home." Aunties are laughing out loud together. Kids translating bills and doctors' notes for their parents and their coffee orders. These moments of togetherness and shared experiences are what make us feel connected and belong. The immigrant experience also includes those small, everyday moments that don't make headlines, but connect and unite us all.

The truth is, immigration is about feeling like belonging somewhere, too. When families live in fear, when children internalize that silence, when parents hesitate to ask for help, we all lose something. Because belonging isn't a favor granted by the system, it should be a  human right.

What steps can we take to make a difference?

• Listen, first. Before rushing to policy or debate, ask what people need. Sometimes it's legal aid, sometimes it's a listening ear.

• Protect spaces of safety. We must ensure everyone feels seen, wherever they are -classrooms, public places, kitchen table.

• Tell the stories. Not just of fear, but of resilience – the small wins

• Advocate smartly—policy matters — from school protections to fair work permits. But so does showing up, volunteering, and voting.

Every immigrant I've met carries two homes inside them: one that made them who they are, and one they're still learning to believe they belong in.

So, to my fellow children of immigrants, to the families still finding their footing: you are not guests. You are home.

Let's keep building it together.

— Ashna Mitta

Coalition4Justice