Laotian immigrants
Laotian immigrants primarily began arriving in the United States after the Vietnam War, particularly in two significant waves during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Many came as refugees escaping the civil unrest in Laos, where a communist government took control, leading to persecution of ethnic minorities, including the Hmong. While often grouped with Vietnamese refugees due to the broader Indochinese classification by the US government, Laotian immigrants faced distinct challenges, including lower levels of education and fewer skills, which complicated their assimilation into American society.
The first wave of refugees, from 1975 to 1977, consisted mainly of individuals who had endured difficult experiences in Southeast Asian refugee camps. The second wave began in 1978, driven by efforts from the Laotian government to consolidate power over ethnic groups. By the end of the 1980s, approximately 266,000 Laotians had settled in the US, with significant populations in California and the upper Midwest, particularly Minnesota. As of 2021, it was reported that there were around 254,000 ethnic Laotians in America, who continued to face challenges in education and economic integration. Despite these obstacles, Laotian communities have persisted and maintained their cultural identities in various regions across the country.
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Laotian immigrants
SIGNIFICANCE: Significant numbers of Laotian immigrants first came to the United States (US) after the Vietnam War. They have often been lumped together with Vietnamese refugees, but the Laotians have differed in generally having less education, fewer skills, and more assimilation challenges. The Hmong, who fought against communism in Laos, are often included among Laotian immigrants, but these mountain people come from throughout Southeast Asia.
Laos is in the center of the Indochinese peninsula at the heart of the Mekong Basin, with Vietnam to the east. The location of the country ensured that it would become caught up in the turmoil of the Vietnam War during the 1960s and early 1970s, when its own people were also fighting a civil war. Laotian refugees began to go to America after the US withdrew from Southeast Asia in 1975. The US government labeled all refugees as “Indochinese,” regardless of their countries of origin. As a result, Laotians have been lumped together with the much larger number of Vietnamese refugees who poured into the US. Consequently, some of the available government information does not represent the pattern of Laotian immigration.
The Laotian refugees came in two major waves, which included ethnic Chinese, Laotian minorities (chiefly Lao Theung and Mien), and the Hmong among their numbers. The first wave, from 1975 to 1977, consisted largely of boat people and overland refugees who had spent considerable and often harrowing time in refugee camps in Southeast Asia. Many of these people were Hmong who had fled Laos for refugee camps in Thailand after the communist government of the Pathet Lao took control in December 1975.
The second wave, consisting largely of Laotian minorities who began to arrive in the US in 1978, resulted from attempts by the new Laotian government to consolidate its control over ethnic minorities who had fought earlier for the US Central Intelligence Agency. In 1978, the US government offered “parolee” status to Hmong and other Laotians who had been employees of the US government, with priority given to people who communists had persecuted. The 1980 Refugee Act gave the refugees resident-alien status and enabled more Laotians to enter the US.
The Laotian immigrants who arrived as the result of the Vietnam War tended to be less educated than previous Southeast Asian immigrants. The 20,000 or so Hmong who arrived during the late 1970s were, for the most part, illiterate. The Hmong and Laotian ethnic minorities tended not only to be illiterate, but they had skills in few fields other than slash-and-burn agriculture. The fact that the Hmong and Mien peoples had no written language further complicated their ability to adjust to life in the US. The refugees tended to be young, with most coming as part of large family groups.
By the end of the 1980s, about 266,000 Laotians had immigrated to the US. Most settled in California, but many established lives in the upper Midwest, chiefly in Minnesota. This demographic increased throughout the twenty-first century. According to data published by the Pew Research Center in 2021, there were 254,000 ethnic Laotian in the US, with the largest concentrations in California metro areas; Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota; Dallas, Texas; and Seattle, Washington. Those of Laotian descent continued to struggle with attaining educational levels in the US and, therefore, struggled economically as well. According to the Laotian American National Alliance, the number of ethnic Laotians in the US also remained steady throughout the 2020s.
Bibliography
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