The Growing Challenges for Immigrants and Libraries
In recent months, immigrants in the United States have faced mounting challenges due to shifting policies. Deportation efforts have increased, with unaccompanied migrant children among those being targeted. The controversial use of Guantánamo Bay as a detention site for migrants has sparked legal and ethical concerns. Meanwhile, state governments are passing laws to weaken sanctuary policies, leaving local communities struggling to navigate federal immigration enforcement.
At the same time, public libraries—key institutions that support immigrant communities—are facing severe funding cuts. For generations, libraries have provided free education, language learning, and legal resources to help immigrants build new lives. Andrew Carnegie, who funded more than 2,500 libraries, believed that no community investment was more valuable than a library. Today, many of the people who rely on these spaces are immigrants working to establish themselves in an unfamiliar country. As their access to resources shrinks, the challenge of building a new life in America becomes even greater.
How Libraries Help Immigrants Succeed
Libraries are much more than places to borrow books—they are community hubs where immigrants find support to adjust, learn, and thrive. A short documentary on libraries and immigrant communities tells the story of a woman who arrived in New York from China at the age of eleven, unable to speak English. She describes how the Chatham Square Library became a second home:
"We lived in a tenement building; it was very tight and dirty. The library was much nicer. In this library, I improved my English. I went away for college—I attended the University of Chicago and got my master's from Columbia. Now that I have kids, I'm trying to teach them about Chinese culture. I feel I have come full circle. This library helped me teach them about their identity, just as it helped me learn about the American identity. That's the problem of being an immigrant: you don't have a home to go back to. But I could show them the library I grew up in. This library is almost like the home I never had."
Stories like hers are not uncommon. Across the country, libraries provide essential services that help immigrants integrate into their communities. Many offer free English language classes, legal assistance, job training, and access to computers and digital literacy programs. These resources help newcomers find jobs, continue their education, and build relationships in their new communities.
Programs That Make a Difference
One example is the Immigrant Civic Engagement Program at the Hartford Public Library in Connecticut. This initiative trains volunteers, known as Cultural Navigators, to mentor newcomers and help them adjust to life in a new country. The library also hosts Community Dialogues, where immigrants and long-term residents come together to discuss shared concerns, helping to build trust and stronger local networks.
The New Americans Program at the Queens Public Library in New York serves one of the most diverse immigrant populations in the country. It offers free English classes, citizenship preparation courses, and cultural events that celebrate the backgrounds of library users. By providing a welcoming space, this program helps immigrants feel more connected to their communities while gaining practical skills for daily life.
Programs like these show how libraries actively support immigrants, not only by offering books but by helping them gain knowledge, confidence, and a sense of belonging. Yet despite their success, many of these initiatives are at risk.
The Growing Threat to Libraries
Libraries across the country face an uncertain future. Funding cuts, political pressure, and restrictive policies are making it harder for them to serve their communities.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the main source of federal library funding, has repeatedly been targeted for defunding in recent years. Efforts to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs pose another challenge, making it more difficult for libraries to provide resources tailored to immigrant communities. At the same time, censorship campaigns are limiting access to books and information, threatening the role of libraries as places for learning and open discussion.
A Campaign to Protect Libraries
In response to these threats, the American Library Association (ALA) launched the Show Up for Our Libraries campaign to encourage public advocacy. ALA President Cindy Hohl has emphasized the urgent need for action, noting that libraries are facing increased scrutiny over book selections, digital access, and educational programming.
The campaign provides practical ways for people to support libraries, including:
- Engaging with lawmakers to push back against funding cuts
- Raising awareness on social media to highlight the importance of libraries
- Organizing at the community level to resist censorship and advocate for library services
Without action, many programs that serve immigrant communities could disappear, leaving thousands without the support they rely on.
How You Can Help
Libraries are more than just buildings filled with books—they are essential community spaces that provide education, support, and a sense of belonging. Immigrants, parents, students, and lifelong learners all depend on them, but keeping them open and accessible requires public action.
Here’s how you can help:
- Support library funding initiatives – Donate to library advocacy groups or participate in local efforts to secure funding.
- Contact legislators – Call or email representatives to express your support for library funding and policies that protect public access.
- Share your story – If a library has impacted your life, share your experience to highlight its importance and inspire others to take action.
At a time when both immigrant rights and public institutions are under threat, protecting libraries is an act of resistance. By defending these spaces, we ensure that immigrants and all community members continue to have access to the knowledge and resources they need to thrive.
is an editor and project manager at Memria. He has co-produced more than thirty narrative projects on peacebuilding in collaboration with filmmakers and podcasters in Colombia.