Thread: Reno immigration office workers don't speak Spanish

Reno immigration office workers don't speak Spanish
Associated Press
Posted: 1/27/2003 09:45 am
The only two information officers at the Immigration and Naturalization Service office in Reno cannot speak Spanish and a spokesman for Sen. John Ensign said his office is making the agency aware of complaints it is receiving from the Hispanic community.
Officials acknowledged a problem but said regulations do not require Spanish speakers in the information position.
"What we've got are probably more situations where people don't speak any English and that puts us in a position of getting complaints,"said Russell Ahr, special assistant to the district director of the INS in Phoenix.
About 105 people approach the counter daily for information on extending their stays in the United States or becoming permanent residents. Although the INS does not keep the statistics, a high percentage of them speak Spanish, said Ahr.
There are 49,360 Hispanics living in Washoe County, according to the 2000 U.S. Census figures.

More than a 100,000 now.

The number of those who do not speak English or do not speak it well is 12,232, or 24.8 percent of the Hispanic population, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported on Monday.
Jack Finn, communications director for Ensign, said the issue is a concern for the senator.
"We cannot get into the business of micromanaging the INS, however we have let them know,"Finn said.
Sen. Harry Reid's office agreed the INS should be more aware of its clients'needs.
Reid spokeswoman Tessa Hafen said,"He hopes that with the new INS reorganization, these factors will be taken under consideration to ensure the highest quality of operations at all levels of the INS from enforcement to immigrant services."
Woody Wright, an immigration lawyer for Nevada Hispanic Services, said he has seen people in the INS lobby who were unable to get assistance because they did not speak English."
They either have no one with them at the time they go to the window or they need to get someone while they're standing there,"Wright said.
Ahr said the plan is to"wean"the public from going to INS offices to ask questions or get forms, and direct them instead to use the Internet or a bilingual toll-free number.
"Our customer service areas are notorious for being problematic,"Ahr said.
For those who want to go to the office but do not speak English, Lois Chappell, officer in charge of the Reno sub-office, suggested they bring a friend or family member to translate.
But Carina Black, executive director for the Northern Nevada International Center, said the INS should have a budget for interpreters."We believe everyone who comes to America should speak English,"said Black, whose agency provides interpreters in 40 different languages."Well, that's not reality. And though they don't speak English, in many cases they are eligible for services of English-speaking people."Information from: Reno Gazette-Journal
http://www.rgj.com/news/stories/html/20 ... Local+News


http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/11805806.html

Actually I went on the USCIS website for information and saw the careers section so I was nosy and looked. I did not see any postings stating you had to speak Spanish in order to get a job. I thought this was odd as I keep getting emails about applying with Border Patrol and there you must either speak Spanish or have to learn it during training. They actually make you a test to see if you are capable of learning a foreign language if you don't speak any other than English.

You know this is just getting ridiculous. If they cannot speak English, then they should bring someone along who can translate. What do people who speak other languages besides Spanish do? Are there special accommodations made for them? And what is really upsetting is that this is mainly due to illegal immigration. So, you have people who have pushed their way into this country who cannot communicate in the dominant language of this country who are "complaining" that we aren't learning Spanish fast enough to accommodate them? Unreal. Let them freakin complain. Then let them find their way to the toll-free bilingual number. Then forget about it. Enough is enough with these arrogant people.

My friend Diane works at Starbuck's in Hollywood and the Spanish speakers expect her to serve them in Spanish. This angers her as her relatives were immigrants and even though they worked with the people from the country they came from, they still learned to speak English.

I can see BP as needing to speak Spanish, for the safety factor, if nothing else.

As for immigration/visa type thing. If you have been given the privilege of coming here - then either learn to speak the language or furnish your own interpreter.

In Miami it is the opposite in many places. They speak Spanish to you first and I don't mean in areas like Hialeah or Little Havana where it is expected. This really annoys me. If that happens in a store I walk out and go elsewhere or will reply to the greeter in another language and then leave.

I, for one, believe that even if the BP agents CAN speak Spanish they should refuse to do so just like the illegal workers at all the stores on the borders refuse to speak English. I don't have any problem whatsoever with them not being able to speak any language other than English. If outsiders want to come here, they need to learn to communicate with us, not the other way around.

I scored 95% on a employment test for the County of Los Angeles.....because I could not speak Spanish....I could not be hired....
Is that reverse discrimination or what?????????????????

Originally Posted by noyoucannot

You know this is just getting ridiculous. If they cannot speak English, then they should bring someone along who can translate. What do people who speak other languages besides Spanish do? Are there special accommodations made for them? And what is really upsetting is that this is mainly due to illegal immigration. So, you have people who have pushed their way into this country who cannot communicate in the dominant language of this country who are "complaining" that we aren't learning Spanish fast enough to accommodate them? Unreal. Let them freakin complain. Then let them find their way to the toll-free bilingual number. Then forget about it. Enough is enough with these arrogant people.

illegal immigration?? did u not read the article?? these are people that are extending their stays!! they are legally here, they are tourists.. then there are the people applying for a change of status, which means a relative has petitioned them. i agree that they should bring someone to translate BUT it is not a requirement to speak english to apply for an extension or to become a permanent resident.. only to become a citizen

Originally Posted by nntrixie

I can see BP as needing to speak Spanish, for the safety factor, if nothing else.

As for immigration/visa type thing. If you have been given the privilege of coming here - then either learn to speak the language or furnish your own interpreter.

i wouldnt expect u to learn spanish if you were given the privilege of going to my country.. u are assuming that all those people are here to stay & they are not. some are just extending their stays for whatever reasons..