Implementing Public Engagement

Engaging Immigrants

Know Beforehand

Immigrants, Refugees, Asylees, and Undocumented Community Members

While this section uses “immigrant communities” as a broad term, it is important to recognize the distinct legal statuses, experiences, and needs of immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented community members. When possible, use the specific term most appropriate to the community being engaged.

The foreign-born population in the city of San Diego is approximately 343,000 or 25 percent of the city’s total population (2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau). According to the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at UCSD, the average number of years this group has spent in the U.S. is nearly 23 years. The immigrant population comes from at least 115 countries and territories, most commonly from Mexico, the Philippines, Vietnam, China and India. The fastest-growing immigrant populations in the city come from Syria, Kenya, Sudan, Iraq and Nigeria.

The main languages spoken by immigrant communities in the city are Spanish, English, Tagalog, Mandarin, Cantonese and Vietnamese. Approximately half of the immigrant population in the city has limited English proficiency. Thirty-one percent of immigrants in the city who are 25 years or older have a bachelor’s degree or higher.

The immigrant population of the city adds approximately 213,000 workers to the city’s labor force and contributes over $946 million in state and local taxes per year. Refugee arrivals in the City of San Diego reached a 20-year high of 2,672 in 2016. In 2022, 398 refugees were resettled in the city. The undocumented population in the city is approximately 67,900 people.

Immigrant community members often demonstrate significant leadership and agency through established community organizations, cultural institutions, small businesses, faith communities and informal support networks. Many bring valuable professional expertise, entrepreneurial skills, and innovative problem-solving approaches developed through navigating multiple cultural contexts. Engagement processes should recognize and leverage this leadership capacity by creating opportunities for immigrant community members to shape priorities, lead discussions, and co-design solutions.

Identify and reach out to key partners, community leaders, religious institutions, and organizations that work with immigrant populations. Learning from those who are trusted by the community can provide critical and up-to-date insight to inform outreach and engagement strategies.

Understand that there may be community members in the room who are undocumented or “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” (DACA). While participants are unlikely to share this, make an effort to support people in feeling welcome and included regardless of their citizenship status. Be conscious about language that assumes everyone in the room is an American citizen or defines “American'' as being a documented citizen. In addition, the Mayor signed Executive Order 2025-1 affirming support for the city's immigrant community and prohibiting the San Diego Police Department from facilitating immigration enforcement activities.

Be mindful that English may be someone’s second language. When English is not someone’s first language, they may value additional communication aids to support engagement.

Understand that there can be cultural patterns associated with different groups. Some examples of differences in cultural patterns may include:

• Preferences around collaborative, consensus-building approaches or expressing individual viewpoints directly. Providing opportunities for both group discussion and individual input can allow participants to choose their preferred style of participation.
• Different comfort levels with direct disagreement or challenging conversations. Create space for various ways to express differing viewpoints, including written feedback options. 

Many factors beyond country of origin influence communication styles, including personal preferences, education, socioeconomic background and length of time in the United States. Approach each engagement with a willingness to learn from community members about their specific experiences.

Potential Barriers to Participation

• Participants may speak multiple languages but may need additional language support if their primary language spoken is not English, have limited English proficiency or do not speak English.
• Some may have less availability due to working longer hours at low wage jobs. See also the Structural exclusion by income section of Engaging Groups Affected by Structural Exclusion.
• Many immigrants have global exposure and expansive multicultural experiences. However, as they tend to have spent less time in the U.S., they may not be familiar with local government processes.
• Depending on past experiences, they may have limited trust in government.
• Immigrants who are asylum seekers, refugees or undocumented may have a history of trauma that results in high confidentiality and security for fear of deportation or legal complications.
• Mixed-status families (households with both documented and undocumented members) may avoid government contact due to concerns that participation could put family members at risk. This concern can lead to entire families refraining from providing personal information or input.
• Some may face barriers related to technology access or culturally appropriate digital interfaces.

Outreach

• Look to the immigrant community for ideas on how to create effective outreach material. Consider including visual styles and imagery that will be familiar to the community.
• Provide versions of outreach materials in additional languages as needed.

Engagement

• Use multiple modes of communication, especially when engaging people whose first language is not English.
  • Offer one-to-one support where possible.
  • Use slides with visual aids and images to support comprehension.
  • Intentionally speak simply and clearly.
  • Be mindful of using idioms and other colloquial language that may not be clear to people who were not raised in American culture.
  • Pause more frequently for questions or reflections.
  • When defining technical terms, offer definitions in writing and reframe the definitions through further explanation and narratives.
• Prioritize safety and confidentiality for mixed-status families and undocumented community members.
  • Provide options for community members to provide input anonymously, such as comment forms.
  • Partner with trusted community-based organizations who typically have deep connections to the communities they serve and experience with culturally competent engagement.
• Emphasize hospitality and a warm welcome. Communities that have experienced systemic injury, past trauma, or a break-down of trust will benefit from authentically welcoming spaces. There are many ways to create welcome — music, food, ice breaker activities that build community, kind encounters with the facilitator, clarity around the purpose and plans, etc.
• Hold conversations in an open format such as a circle when possible. For many communities, a circle symbolizes welcome and inclusion and can help participants feel more comfortable. Arrange a circle so that all the participants can easily see each other. Keep in mind that the circle does not ensure practices of mutuality and shared voice. Integrate a guide to productive meetings or meeting agreements and other equitable conversation practices.
• Invite storytelling. Stories go a long way in creating connection, celebrating the diversity of the room and opening other avenues for engagement. Prompt moments of storytelling either to build community or to investigate the project topic.