Court, Judge, and the Pain of the Language Problem
Standing in front of a judge can scare even the innocents, but sometimes, it becomes necessary to go to a court and present your side of the story. Unfortunately, the world is not so nice to humans. Sometimes, there are unexpected problems that people have to deal with. Whenever people are in unfamiliar circumstances, it becomes impossible for them to survive without help. However, that doesn’t mean that there is no hope for those who are lost in a foreign land; there is always assistance for those who know where to look for it.
The Problems of Immigration:
Our world is big enough for all of us, but that doesn’t mean that humans can travel around easily. There are borders and restrictions that keep us from visiting other countries. This is why those living in poor conditions cannot just up and leave whenever they want. They have to plan properly before they take any step, and even then, not all of them succeed. However, that doesn’t stop people from trying. After all, who would want to be stuck in a warzone or live in a place where they are persecuted? But there are rules and regulations that everyone has to follow. It can be pretty difficult to achieve your goals in a world where there are restrictions everywhere.
The US is the ideal place for immigration, but it also has a lot of regulations in place that can keep people from becoming its citizens. Sometimes, refugees can get stuck in never-ending cases. But above everything else that applicants have on their plates, they have to deal with the language problem too. This can be quite frustrating when you are surrounded by people who speak a language different than yours. It is more difficult to navigate your way when there is a linguistic barrier in your way.
What problems do immigrants face?
- Language barriers. If they don’t know the native language, they will have a hard time making connections.
- Getting help. Immigrants often become victims of violent crimes but they don’t know how to seek help.
- One of the biggest problems immigrants face is prejudice.
- Employment opportunities. Lack of employment opportunities is another problem immigrants face.
What are the cons of immigration?
- Increased cost of living. Everything from health to education will cost more than before and it will be difficult for immigrants to manage.
- Lack of jobs. The more immigrants arrive, the lower the number of available jobs will get in a country.
- The more diversified the population of a country becomes, the more disagreements and clashes between different cultures will occur.
What are two disadvantages of immigration?
1. Language Barriers: The biggest disadvantage of immigration is that people will have to fight the language barrier to communicate with the natives. A population that cannot communicate is also a problem for the host country.
2. Job Market: The job market will become more competitive. This will make it harder for immigrants to find jobs. It will also be a problem for the host country to provide more opportunities to its citizens.What are the social issues of immigration?
- Side Effects of Diversity: Although we wish to celebrate diversity, it can promote prejudice and hate crimes. Immigrants also don’t know how to adjust in a different culture, which is why things get worse for the host country.
- Language Barrier: This can create a divide in society and make people distant from each other.
Court, Judge, and the Pain of the Language Problem:
Whether someone is seeking foreign asylum or is applying for legal status in the US, they will need to convince the immigration court to hear their case. But more than that, they will have to prove that they deserve asylum or US citizenship. However, the thought of presenting your case in the court is scary for everyone. Even if the applicants hire lawyers, they will need to attend the legal proceedings themselves too. However, when there is a language barrier between them and the court, it can be difficult to understand the proceedings. This can keep the migrants from understanding their rights and presenting their ideas to the court properly.
There are millions of people in the US that can’t speak or understand English properly. It is impossible for these people to follow their cases in an immigration court. There are some bilingual lawyers who can guide their clients during the proceedings, but they are few in number, which is why they can’t help everyone. They are also not trained for the job of interpreting.
Applicants can lose their cases due to language problems. It is the legal right of the applicants to be heard in court. But it is also their right to get linguistic assistance when they can’t understand the language of the judge. This is why it is up to the courts to arrange interpreting services.
Without the assistance of the government, these people can get stuck. If they are not helped properly, it will affect their future and can even put them in danger. Many refugees will have to go back to their countries and suffer the consequences. They will have to raise their children in war-torn areas. This is how greatly a language problem can affect the lives of people. Many deserving people will not get asylum if the language problem is allowed to interfere with the legal proceedings.
What’s the Solution?
There are various options that courts can select from to help those who wish to become US citizens. Currently, there are no in-house interpreters in courts to help the migrants during the proceedings. They are shown a video with subtitles, but it has proven to be complicated. It has made people frustrated instead of providing them with answers. As a result, people are demanding better assistance regarding the linguistic problem. The best way forward for the courts and judges is to arrange remote video interpreting for migrants. Although in-house interpreting is still an option, the government wants to reduce the cost.
The best way to provide quality assistance to applicants while keeping the cost to a minimum is through remote video interpreting. It is not easier to find an interpreter in time for a hearing. But when it comes to video interpreting, experts can be contacted easily. There are agencies that put people in touch with linguistic experts from all over the world. They know exactly how to find the right expert for a job. Immigration courts can hire such agencies on a contract basis or book interpreters for sessions separately. Either way, it will help them in dispensing justice.
By providing proper linguistic assistance to migrants, the courts will be giving them a chance at a better life. They can present their side of the story. They will be able to make the judge understand their situation in a better way when they know they will be interpreted accurately. Let us all hope for the sake of the migrants that courts will start providing proper linguistic assistance to all the migrants in the near future.
