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There are a number of reasons why new immigrants and the country they are coming to have issues with integration or fitting in.
There is language. People argue that the immigrants speak their own language among themselves and don't learn the host country's language. However, if the children are brought up with others of the country, they will grow up speaking like a native.
There is religion. For instance, trying to go immigrating to Israel for someone who is non-Jewish would be an issue. If the immigrant has a different faith (or lack thereof) as the country he/she is trying to go to, there will be tensions. Also, it is an issue if immigrants' religions also conflict with secular countries' ideals or norms or principles.
There are social or civic values. This ties in to religion sometimes but doesn't have to be. Countries want citizens to share the social values they have in common and if not, there can be problems with integrating the person into society. For example, if the country values egalitarian norms between the sexes, say, and someone from another culture refuses to recognize it and prefers strict sex and gender roles for their families, that can be a problem.
There is physical appearance or race/blood ties. One can stand out more because you look different (facial features, skin color, whatever) to the country you are trying to assimilate into. In big cities that are multiracial in New World countries this isn't as much of an issue, if at all. This is pretty shallow of a reason, in my opinion, to be a barrier of not accepting someone, more so than the others I mention which I feel are more reasonable reasons/arguments.
There are also other cultural differences, such as food, dress, customs and etiquette that people find tensions with when immigrants arrive. Some argue that these differences are not important and others say that the should give them up to properly assimilate.
It's not an immigration issue,any country can have these problems among its own indigenous people : blacks in America,indians in certain latin countries,Belgium (flemish and wallon),Ireland (catholic,protestant,independist,unionist),Gypsies in Romania,Spain (catalonia,basque).
In fact nobody is really integrated to anything,the right to be different is as legitimate as any integration.
In the United States, the main reason is low educational attainment levels on the part of certain immigrants which lead to low incomes and poverty. And therefore, isolation from mainstream society.
You've got to play the game right when you come to America.
European or African immigrants can have a kid and that kid does not have the "foreigner" stigma that Asian or Latino immigrants have. I don't think an Asian or even Latino would ever feel completely at home watching historical movie of America, where everyone is white and/or black. I think there is an unwritten rule that says that people who are white, or black, are "real" Americans and that people who aren't are immigrants, regardless of what generation they are. Look at how many Asian Americans are asked if they speak Chinese even when they are born and raised here; nobody asks the white guy if he speaks Polish or the black guy if he speaks Swahili; you never see it.
I would imagine that this is the same thing in Europe, except on a much greater scale due to the lack of a history of immigration or having different races. For example, I don't think that an Arab named brown guy is ever truly viewed as completely German, and I think it is considered "wrong" or "racist" to suggest such a phenomenon exists.
. I don't think an Asian or even Latino would ever feel completely at home watching historical movie of America, where everyone is white and/or black.
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In Canada we don't have that problem. Because no one makes or watches historical movies about Canada!
European or African immigrants can have a kid and that kid does not have the "foreigner" stigma that Asian or Latino immigrants have. I don't think an Asian or even Latino would ever feel completely at home watching historical movie of America, where everyone is white and/or black. I think there is an unwritten rule that says that people who are white, or black, are "real" Americans and that people who aren't are immigrants, regardless of what generation they are. Look at how many Asian Americans are asked if they speak Chinese even when they are born and raised here; nobody asks the white guy if he speaks Polish or the black guy if he speaks Swahili; you never see it.
I would imagine that this is the same thing in Europe, except on a much greater scale due to the lack of a history of immigration or having different races. For example, I don't think that an Arab named brown guy is ever truly viewed as completely German, and I think it is considered "wrong" or "racist" to suggest such a phenomenon exists.
I suppose most countries will always be "stuck" with this. You can't go back in time and plant Asian faces on the paintings of the American founding fathers.
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