PEW study shows dramatic increase in Arabic speakers in US

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Updated 25 May 2023

PEW study shows dramatic increase in Arabic speakers in US

PEW study shows dramatic increase in Arabic speakers in US

A new study of US Census data by the PEW Research Center in Washington D.C. concludes that Arabic has become a much more widely spoken language in the US with the number of people who speak Arabic at home in the US rising from 215,000 in 1980 to 1.4 million in 2021.

PEW co-researchers, Jeffery Passel and Mohamad Moslimani, said that according to their analysis, Arabic is now the seventh-most common non-English language spoken in American homes and that the growth has “outpaced” the growth among other languages from the Middle East region such as Persian/Farsi, Hebrew and Turkish.

More people in the US speak Arabic at home than immigrants from Germany or Italy, a reversal from 1980, the study concludes.

 

“We found a dramatic increase over the last 30 or 40 years in the number of Arabic speakers. This is people who speak Arabic at home. There may be other people who speak Arabic but this is a question specifically asking about people who speak it at home. The number has increased from about 200,000, a little over 200,00 in 1980 up to almost 1.5 million by 2021. A very dramatic increase,” said Passel, senior demographer at Pew Research Center and a nationally known expert on immigration to the US.

“A lot of it has been driven by immigration from Arabic-speaking countries, mostly in the Middle East. And, as you noted, a majority of those who speak Arabic at home are immigrants. About two thirds are immigrants. If you just look at adults, about three quarters are immigrants. They come from a lot of different countries. There is no one country that provides the largest number. But both Iraq and Egypt account for 13 percent of all the Arabic speakers, Lebanon at 7 percent and smaller shares from other countries.”

Passel added: “While there are Arabic speakers around the country, the largest concentration as a share of the population is in the Detroit metro area. The Detroit metro area accounts for 13 percent of all the Arabic speakers in the country. And almost 5 percent of the people in the Metropolitan area speak Arabic at home. And that by far is the largest share of any of the metropolitan areas in the country.”

The study also concluded that immigrants account for two thirds of those who speak Arabic at home in the US. The study notes that 53 percent of all Arabic speakers live in just five states, including California (17 percent), Michigan (14 percent), Texas (8 percent), New York (7 percent) and New Jersey (6 percent).

The Detroit region, according to the study, has the most Arabic speakers of any US metropolitan area, more than 190,000 people representing 13 percent of all Arabic speakers in the US and 91 percent of those just in Michigan.

 

“Since the 1980s, greater and greater shares of Arabic speakers in the US are now proficient in English. I think that is notable because it might indicate to some degree what is changing about the demographics about Arabic speakers in the U.S,” said Moslimani, a PEW research assistant focusing on race and ethnicity who co-authored the report with Passel.

The study also notes that the number of Arabic speakers proficient in English has risen from 54 percent to 66 percent.

 

“I think the major factor for Arabic and for a lot of other languages is the immigrants themselves coming here. In addition to the immigrants, the children of the US-born children of those immigrants often grow up speaking Arabic, and in many instances there is a desire to retain the language of the parents. So, a lot of the US-born who speak Arabic are probably children themselves of immigrants, or people who marry into married immigrants, US-born people who marry immigrants,” Passel explained, noting that the conclusions are based on Census data collected from more than 3.3 million people.

“I believe this is the seventh most common non-English language spoken at home. Some of the others have a lot more speakers, Spanish being one of them, but it’s the reflection of recent immigration. And I think the other factors you previously mentioned is the ties to Islam and the Qu’ran thoroughly make it an important language for people to speak. And, you mentioned German, you mentioned Italian, those numbers are going down partly because we are not getting as many immigrants from those countries and the people have been here longer. But this (Arabic) is a very rapidly growing, growing much faster than a number of other languages from the Middle East.”

However, Passel and Moslimani concluded in their analysis that the number of people who speak Arabic at home is only 1.5 million, which represents only about half of 1 percent of the total population of the US.

Passel said that the number of Americans who speak Arabic is probably even larger because  some respondents may speak Arabic just outside the home and not at their home. This group cannot be measured by the data analyzed.

Passel and Moslimani made their comments during an appearance on the Ray Hanania Radio Show, broadcast on Wednesday, May 24 in Detroit and Washington D.C on the US Arab Radio Network and sponsored by Arab News.

You can listen to the radio show’s podcast by visiting ArabNews.com/rayradioshow.


UK police to work with North African counterparts in migration crackdown

UK police to work with North African counterparts in migration crackdown
Updated 12 sec ago

UK police to work with North African counterparts in migration crackdown

UK police to work with North African counterparts in migration crackdown
  • New front in mission to ‘stop the boats’ as immigration minister begins tour of Tunisia, Algeria, Libya
  • Robert Jenrick: ‘We’re taking the fight to the people-smuggling gangs upstream’

London: UK police will work with authorities in North Africa to prevent migrants leaving for Europe this summer, The Times reported on Monday.

The move, which will see officers from the National Crime Agency operate in Tunisia, Algeria and Libya, will open a new front in Britain’s objective to “stop the boats,” following a deal with France to clamp down on people-smuggling gangs.

Italy has predicted that 400,000 migrants will try to enter Europe through its sea borders this year, with gangs overseeing vessel journeys from the North African coast across the Mediterranean.

That figure is a four-fold increase from last year, with 80,000 people already having made the journey in the first three months of 2023.

The UK Home Office has warned that the surge could lead to an increase in the number of migrants traveling northward and eventually making the trip to Britain across the English Channel, again via small vessels. In 2023 so far, 7,569 migrants have crossed from France to Britain.

The new deal with North African countries will involve intelligence- and expertise-sharing, as well as crackdowns on people-smuggling gangs.

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick on Monday will start a five-day tour of North Africa and Europe to oversee the launch of the scheme.

He is set to visit Tunisia, Algeria and Libya to meet counterparts and discuss law-enforcement efforts to “disrupt, degrade and deny gangs at source.”

Jenrick told The Times: “We’re taking the fight to the people-smuggling gangs upstream to help prevent dangerous and unnecessary journeys long before migrants are within reach of the UK.

“Just as we’ve deepened diplomatic and security cooperation on illegal migration with France, Italy and Albania, we are working to enhance our cooperation with other key transit and source countries for migration to tackle this shared challenge. It is right that we use all the assets of the state to disrupt, degrade and deny gangs at source.”

The new scheme comes as the British government’s Illegal Migration Bill faces scrutiny in the House of Lords.

The series of proposed laws aims to expedite the detainment and deportation of migrants who arrive illegally in the UK.

After visiting Tunisia, Algeria and Libya, Jenrick will travel to Italy to meet Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has pledged to clamp down on illegal migration as part of her G7 agenda.

Jenrick will also meet French officials in Paris and tour the northern port city of Calais, the most popular departure point for migrant vessels traveling to Britain.


UN agencies warn of starvation risk in Sudan, Haiti, Burkina Faso and Mali, call for urgent aid

UN agencies warn of starvation risk in Sudan, Haiti, Burkina Faso and Mali, call for urgent aid
Updated 24 min 53 sec ago

UN agencies warn of starvation risk in Sudan, Haiti, Burkina Faso and Mali, call for urgent aid

UN agencies warn of starvation risk in Sudan, Haiti, Burkina Faso and Mali, call for urgent aid
  • The report by the World Food Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization calls for urgent attention to save both lives and jobs. Beyond the nine countries at the highest level of concern, the ag

ROME: Two UN agencies warned Monday of rising food emergencies including starvation in Sudan due to the outbreak of war and in Haiti,Burkina Faso and Mali due to restricted movements of people and goods.
The four countries join Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen at the highest alert levels, with communities that are already facing or projected to face starvation or otherwise risk a slide “toward catastrophic conditions.”
The report by the World Food Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization calls for urgent attention to save both lives and jobs. Beyond the nine countries rating the highest level of concern, the agencies said 22 countries are identified as “hotspots’’ risking acute food insecurity.
“Business-as-usual pathways are no longer an option in today’s risk landscape if we want to achieve global food security for all, ensuring that no one is left behind.” said Qu Dongyu, FAO Director-General.
He called for immediate action in the agricultural sector “to pull people back from the brink of hunger, help them rebuild their lives and provide long-term solution to address the root causes of food insecurities.”
The report cited a possible spillover of the conflict in Sudan, deepening economic crises in poor nations and rising fears that the El Nino climatic phenomenon forecast for mid-2023 could provoke climate extremes in vulnerable countries.
The report warns that 1 million people are expected to flee Sudan, while an additional 2.5 million inside Sudan face acute hunger in the coming months as supply routes through Port Sudan are disrupted by safety issues.
WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain warned of “catastrophic”consequences unless there is clear action to “help people adapt to a changing climate and ultimately prevent famine.”
“Not only are more people in more places around the world going hungry, but the severity of the hunger they face is worse than ever,” McCain said.


Russia hits Ukrainian military facility and Odesa port in air strikes

Russia hits Ukrainian military facility and Odesa port in air strikes
Updated 29 May 2023

Russia hits Ukrainian military facility and Odesa port in air strikes

Russia hits Ukrainian military facility and Odesa port in air strikes
  • Kyiv comes under heavy attack for second successive night
  • Moscow says Ukraine has stepped up drone and sabotage attacks against targets inside Russia as Kyiv prepares for the counter offensive

KYIV: Russia put five aircraft out of action in an attack on a military target in western Ukraine and caused a fire at the Black Sea port of Odesa in heavy air strikes early on Monday, Ukrainian officials said.
Kyiv also came under intense attack for the second successive night, but reported no significant damage and said that most of the drones and missiles fired at the capital overnight had been shot down.
The attacks were part of a new wave of increasingly frequent and intense air strikes launched by Moscow this month as Kyiv prepares to launch a counteroffensive to try to take back territory occupied by Russian forces.
In a rare acknowledgement of damage suffered at a military “target,” Ukraine did not name the site or sites hit in the western region of Khmelnitskiy but said work was under way to restore a runway and five aircraft were taken out of service.
A large military airfield was located in the region before the war.
“At the moment, work is continuing to contain fires in storage facilities for fuel and lubricants and munitions,” the Khmelnitskiy region governor’s office said.
Ukraine’s military said the attack on Odesa port had caused a fire and damaged infrastructure but did not specify whether the damage threatened grain exports.
Ukraine is an important global grain supplier and the port is vital for shipping agricultural products abroad. It is also one of three included in a UN-brokered deal on the safe export of grain via the Black Sea.
“A fire broke out in the port infrastructure of Odesa as a result of the hit. It was quickly extinguished. Information on the extent of the damage is being updated,” the military’s southern command said on Facebook.

UKRAINIAN COUNTERATTACK EXPECTED
Russia, which began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine just over 15 months ago, did not immediately comment on the attacks. Reuters was not able to independently verify the reports on the scale of the attacks.
After months of attacks on energy facilities, Russia is now increasingly targeting military facilities and supplies to try to disrupt Ukraine’s preparations for its counterattack, Kyiv says.
Moscow says Ukraine has stepped up drone and sabotage attacks against targets inside Russia as Kyiv prepares for the counteroffensive.
Ukraine said it had shot down 29 of the 35 drones and 37 of 40 cruise missiles fired overnight by Russia.
The Kyiv military administration said its air defenses had shot down over 40 of the “targets” fired at it in what was Russia’s 15th air assault on the city this month.
“Another difficult night for the capital,” Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging channel.
The attack follows the largest drone barrage launched on Kyiv the previous night, which killed one person and injured several. In Sunday’s attack, 36 drones were downed over Kyiv.
“With these constant attacks, the enemy seeks to keep the civilian population in deep psychological tension,” Serhiy Popko, the head of the city’s military administration said.


US to ‘look into’ case of Afghan pilot facing deportation from UK

US to ‘look into’ case of Afghan pilot facing deportation from UK
Updated 29 May 2023

US to ‘look into’ case of Afghan pilot facing deportation from UK

US to ‘look into’ case of Afghan pilot facing deportation from UK
  • White House had been unaware of case, says spokesman
  • ‘Those who fought alongside coalition will be helped’

LONDON: The US said on Sunday it could intervene in the case of a pilot from Afghanistan threatened with deportation from the UK to Rwanda, The Independent reported.

The pilot, whose identity has been withheld over security fears, flew combat missions alongside British and American fighters against the Taliban and has been described as a “patriot” by former Western coalition allies.

He said he was forced to flee to the UK in a small boat when the Taliban retook Afghanistan because it had been “impossible” to find a safe and legal route.

His case has gained support from British military chiefs, celebrities and politicians in the UK, but the British government has declined to take a decision on granting him asylum.

On Sunday, White House spokesperson John Kirby told The Independent an investigation into whether the man would be eligible for asylum in the US would be carried out.

“It’s the first I’ve heard of it, so we’ll have to look into it, to check it out,” he said.

Kirby added that the Joe Biden administration was committed to helping Afghans who fought alongside coalition forces against the Taliban with their attempts to relocate to the US.

“We continue to work to bring our Afghan allies out of Afghanistan and into the country. We continue to believe down to our marrow that that’s a responsibility and an obligation we take seriously — it’s not stopped and it’s not going to stop,” he said.

According to The Independent report, the pilot’s details have been sent to the White House, and officials will look into if the US State Department can help him.


Russia puts US Senator Graham on wanted list

Russia puts US Senator Graham on wanted list
Updated 29 May 2023

Russia puts US Senator Graham on wanted list

Russia puts US Senator Graham on wanted list
  • Graham was shown on video saying “the Russians are dying”
  • Russia did not specify what crime Graham was suspected of

MOSCOW: Russia’s interior ministry has put US Senator Lindsey Graham on a wanted list, Russian media reported on Monday, citing the ministry’s database.
In an edited video released by the Ukrainian president’s office of Graham’s meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, Graham was shown saying “the Russians are dying” and then saying US support was the “best money we’ve ever spent.”
After Russia criticized the remarks, Ukraine released a full video of the meeting which showed the two remarks were not linked.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said on Sunday that it was opening a criminal probe into Graham’s comments. It did not specify what crime he was suspected of.
Graham disputed Russian criticism of his support for Ukraine on Sunday, saying he had simply praised the spirit of Ukrainians in resisting a Russian invasion with assistance provided by Washington.
A South Carolina Republican known for his hawkish foreign policy views, Graham has been an outspoken champion of increased military support for Ukraine in its battle against Russia.
Russia has previously added dozens of US officials and elected politicians to stop lists, banning them from entering the country, but has rarely sought the arrest of senior American officeholders.