First Generation Iranian Refugees and Their Acculturation in the United States

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to identify the causes that Iranians migrate out of their country, as well as the struggles and strengths of acculturation for first-generation Iranian refugees in the United States (U.S.). Many individuals and clinicians are unaware of how to work with certain immigrant and refugee populations, and this review will inform those individuals and clinicians of ways to work with, treat, and help these families upon arrival and acculturation into the U.S. Ten participants were interviewed to share experiences of their acculturation process in the U.S. Themes were found from the interviews to include language barriers, isolation from families, and lifestyle changes. This chapter will include additional research about why Iranian refugees fled Iran, historical information about the Islamic Republic and its regulations on its people, as well as the acculturation process for Iranian refugees in the United States.

1. Introduction

The purpose of this chapter is to review the acculturation of first-generation Iranian refugees in the United States (U.S.). In my research I focused mostly on adults who sought asylum for political or religious persecution in Iran to come to the U.S. and live a better life [1]. A refugee is an individual who left his or her home country fearing persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a social group, or political opinion. Some of the Iranian refugees were forced to provide for themselves after reaching the designated destination and had to deal with many obstacles and barriers that came with acculturation [2]. Many of the obstacles that refugees faced while acculturating into the new country were learning a new language, finding jobs, or attending school to be able to build a new life [3]. There have been over 65 million globally-displaced individuals around the world, 38% are externally displaced whether they are asylum seekers or refugees [4].

This chapter is reviewing Iranian refugees who had to leave their home country due to persecution. The Islamic Republic of Iran discriminates against Iranian citizens who do not practice Islamic traditions and values; therefore, Iranians are forced to leave their home country or stay and be punished by death and fear their lives daily in the country [5].

There are many Iranians who are not following any of the Islamic practices despite their religion or beliefs. Iran today is witnessing the highest rate of Christianity in the world; many of the Iranians who continue to live in Iran are also converting to Christianity despite the increase in executions and punishments of Christian pastors, restrictions on church activities, arrests, and persecution of these individuals who are against the Islamic Republic [6]. In addition to religious changes, approximately 44 years passed since women have been fighting for rights in their own country of Iran. Women have suffered fines, insults, jail, and even death due to their dignity and rights as women in this patriarchal country [6]. A lot of women are now defying the regime’s dress code and removing headscarves despite the security forces demands and threats. Many women are casting aside their scarves and headwear as protest to the regimes’ claimed authority that is imposing religious codes onto them.

There is minimal research on Iranian immigrants and acculturation, as well as refugees in the U.S. The goal of this chapter is to fill the gap in literature and explore the struggles first-generation Iranian refugees in the U.S. endured and the strengths that they exhibited during the acculturation process.

2. Methodology

This chapter is drawn from my dissertation: First Generation Iranian Refugees’ Acculturation in the United States: A Focus on Resilience. The methods used for this research study was a transcendental phenomenology approach to focus on individual experiences of refugees who have faced a similar and specific phenomenon [7]. Data was collected utilizing interviews from 10 participants who had endured similar experiences with acculturation. There were eight steps in this method to obtain information and analyze data to identify themes [8]. The steps were: Epoche to help with biases of the researcher, transcendental phenomenological reduction which looked at each experience and described it by itself, and imaginative variation which used researchers’ experience to view the experience differently [8]. Then the data analysis steps included: Horizontalization to identify significant statements from participants, Clusters of Meanings to organize and categorize statements into themes, Textural Descriptions to summarize the themes, Possible Meanings and Structural Descriptions helped with interpreting and analyzing the themes as a whole.

For the purposes of this chapter, a thematic analysis is utilized to identify, analyze, and interpret patterns of meaning within the qualitative data from the dissertation [9]. The themes identified in the original dissertation were analyzed in this chapter and discussed using further research related to this topic to fulfill the objectives for this chapter review.

3. Iran: country context

3.1 History

In 2008, Iran was home to approximately 69 million people who were ethnically, religiously, and linguistically diverse [10]. Between 1941 and 1979, King Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi reigned Iran’s government and modernized the bureaucracy, as well as the educational system, economic development, and social reforms. Reza Shah believed that women should be educated, have access to the workplace, and have the same basic rights as their male counterparts [11]. The turmoil of political and religious structures in Iran were prevalent to be against the Shah’s monarchy [2].

The Iranian Revolution in 1979 brought down the regime of King Mohammad-Reza Pahlavi, and Ayatollah Khomeini returned from his exile and led the newly established government. Since the revolutionary war, women faced a lot of changes that significantly affected their way of life, including mandatory veiling, lacking freedom of speech, inability to vote, being separated from boys in classrooms, and not being able to attend college or higher education [12, 13]. Post 1979 downfall of Pahlavi monarchy, the Islamic regime replaced it with a period when human rights abuses and executions became more prevalent in the country [14]. Not only were there state-sponsored assassinations, but women were also singled out as symbols of dissipation and consumerism under the Shah’s monarchy and became the brunt of social and gender reconstructing [14]. Many women had a hard time participating in politics within their country, and others remained silent for fear of persecution. Women and younger individuals carried the mantle of opposition, by battling with the ‘morality police’ regarding headscarves and allowing for co-ed public spaces in major cities. Following the establishment of the new Islamic government, Assyrians, along with other groups such as Kurds, Armenians, Jews, and Baha’i, became targets of the new regime and social system [14].

3.2 People

In 1935, the country’s name was changed from Persia to Iran to show the progress and unification of a variety of ethnicities, tribes, and social classes [15]. The Indo-European group were known as the original Persians and the Persian Empire was founded by Cyrus the Great in 559 BC covering what is now Afghanistan all the way to Egypt. Many Iranians are proud of their heritage including the ancient empire, including the Zoroastrian religion [15].

Iran is bordered by the Caspian Sea on the north and the Persian Gulf on the south. Its neighboring countries are Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Iraq, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Many agricultural communities, nomadic tribes with livestock, and several industrial regions are located in Iran. The population in Iran is over 89 million, and millions of the population practices Shiite Islam; however, there are other religious faiths practiced, such as Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrian, and Baha’i to name a few [15, 16]. There are many regions in Iran inhabiting people with different ethnicities and traditions. Iranian Turks live in the northwest, Kurdish Iranians live in the western borders, and Arabic-speaking Iranians live in the south and southwest. Iranians are resilient and have developed an uncanny ability to assimilate without the complete loss of the collective self or their nationalities [15]. Iranians continue to fight for their rights and their ethnicities to be able to live a better life in their country.

3.3 Human rights

The Iranian police, intelligence and security forces, and prison officials have committed many shocking acts of human rights violations. Some of these acts include detention, enforced disappearance, torture, and other ill-treatment against many of the individuals detained in the Iranian prison due to the nationwide protests of November 2019, followed by the death of Mahsa Jina Amini [17]. Other victims include children and injured protestors and bystanders that were taken in while they were seeking medical care. Human rights defenders were also arrested, such as minority rights activists, journalists, and those who were attending memorial ceremonies for those who were killed previously during the protests.

The Iranian government denies any of these violent acts and identifies excuses for what has occurred to these individuals. Iranian police and security forces do not investigate the allegations of enforced disappearance, torture, and/or other ill-treatment of these individuals; yet they punish them for wanting to exercise their rights of freedom of expression and association and peaceful assembly [17, 18].

Since the torture and death of Mahsa Jina Amini, Iranian security forces continued to kill at least 326 people nationwide due to the protests of their human rights [18, 19]. From this number, 43 were children, and 25 were women. Iran is facing one of the biggest and most unprecedented shows of dissent since Amini’s death for not wearing her hijab appropriately according to the Iranian morality police [19].

Since 2022, there have been many other individuals including boys and men that have been detained, tortured, imprisoned, and killed due to their support for women and children, as well as basic human rights within their own country. Iranian celebrities and athletes have stepped forward to support the anti-regime and have also been faced with consequences despite their reputation [20].

In addition to the torture and persecution of its people, the government has also monitored and controlled the accessibility of internet, social media, television, and other ways of news and entertainment the Iranian people maintain. Authorities have censored media, jammed satellite television channels, and have blocked their people from Instagram, WhatsApp, and other social media platforms to stop them from communicating to other countries about what is occurring in Iran [20].

Basic human rights are being threatened daily, the government has repeatedly shut off or disrupted the internet and phone network during the protests. The basic human rights of the people of Iran have been taken hostage and even men and boys are protesting in the streets for their own rights, as well as their female loved ones.

The Iranian government and its male representation hold very rigid views of women’s roles and rights within their country [21]. Especially post the Pahlavi monarchy downfall, the Islamic Republic of Iran removed and decreased women’s rights tremendously. Women are seen as caring and nurturing, but also sexualized beings capable of inflicting confusion if not controlled by men or their male counterparts [21]. As mentioned before, the headscarf or ‘hijab’ is one way that the government has deemed segregation and necessary to tame the dangers of female sexuality and maintain social order in the country. Men in Iran see women only to obey their roles in marriages with wifely obedience, maternal responsibilities, and nothing else. Furthermore, Mohsen Kadivar, an advocate of human rights sees gender equality as one of the main pillars of human rights regime and a democratic order [21]. Some clerics such as Abdulla Nuri, a minister of interior under President Khatami has a very strong stance on the issue of the ‘hijab’, despite the taboo subject for many, he argues that wearing a headscarf should be voluntary and not mandatory [21].

3.3.1 Women rights

Many women in Iran have always tried fighting for more rights and power as other individuals in the country. They are viewed as having domestic and parental responsibilities for the care of others, rather than having any control for quality leisure [22]. There is a systematic force in society to understand the different forms of power that is connected to women’s lack of leisure experiences in Iran. There has always been an unequal distribution of responsibility given the power differences [22]. There are however many Iranians who feel that men and women need equal access to leisure activities; however, due to the traditions, rules, and the patriarchal society, men will always have more freedom than women [23]. Researchers argued that women in Iran live in an environment of fear about what to do and not do consistently; whether they should be afraid about where to go, when to do something, who is safe, and who is dangerous from their male peers in their own country where it is supposed to be safe and comfortable [24]. Women’s lack of safety is prevalent in many instances in Iran, and it is readily available for media reporters to share the information of women being attacked all the time for a variety of reasons. Many studies on women’s safety and discrimination have been present not only in Iran but other developing countries as well [24].

According to official statistics, more than half of Iran’s population of 89 million are women [16]. Women’s participation in society is valuable because it provides the basis for sustainable development [25]. Therefore, one of the important development goals is denying class, ethnicity, gender, and human inequalities to achieve development. The elimination of inequalities between men and women has become a key issue among several countries, as well as recognizing women’s overall status in their country [24]. Women have many roles, as a wife, mother, and housekeeper; yet women are not active in their societies. Their role in political, social, economic, and cultural development needs to be more welcomed given their education and literacy development [24].

As mentioned before, for more than 40 years after the Iranian revolution, women have been fighting for their status to change in their own country. Women have been involved in certain socio-political programs; however, they are not recognized for their achievements. Studies in Iran have discovered that the patriarchal culture, negative attitudes, and the prejudice against women prohibit women from reaching specific organizational goals and positions [23].

The Islamic Republic regime of Iran has forced many women to cover themselves, they have barred women from judiciary, segregation in transport, sports and public places, including all discriminatory laws. The government believes that men and women are created differently and are suitable for different gender roles in their social and private lives. However, they do not see that they are seeing men and women not only different in sex and gender, but also threatening their equality that is then projected as injustice [26]. Women continue to fight for their rights and want the government to change its mindset.

On September 16, 2022, a young 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Jina Amini died in the custody of the ‘morality police’ in Tehran, Iran. In a matter of days, waves of protest increased all over the world, an average of 160 cities opposing the regime. Many women removed their mandatory headscarves during protests in the street fighting to end the dual life forced upon them for more than 40 years [21]. More than 500 demonstrators were killed by the end of December 2022, including 67 children [17]. An estimated 15,000 people were arrested and indicted, 26 people charged against them with a wage of war against God; in Iran this carries a death penalty [17, 18].

The law in Iran for headscarves (“hijab”) is mandatory for every woman in the country [27]. Women are required to also wear loose-fitting clothing covering their arms and legs, as well as have their hair always covered when present in a public setting [27]. The Islamic Republic of Iran forced women to wear a headscarf and long dark attire, including girls nine years of age and older starting in April 1983.

The word ‘hijab’ is defined by an outfit that a woman needs to wear covering her whole body to present herself as modest. Her face, hands, and sometimes feet are permitted to show [27]. Many women do not adhere to the direct law of wearing their headscarves properly; some women show partial hair, as well as certain fashion trends with the hijab have come to be more prevalent in the country, despite its illegality. Any woman, including individuals with religious beliefs outside of Islam were required by law to wear the headscarf in public settings [27]. This fight for women’s rights has been ongoing for 44 years. According to recent surveys more than 66% of the Iranian population explicitly rejects state enforcement of the mandatory headscarves in Iran. This includes a quarter of those who believe in the practice of veiling for religious reasons [27]. Therefore, many of these women and their families look into ways of leaving their country if their human rights are not protected.

4. Migration: fleeing Iran for security

Iranians who were interested in seeking asylum have often escaped their country due to violence and persecution. They have lost everything including their homes and families. They have no chance to work or send their children to school or live a meaningful life. They yearn to live in peace, yet only a small number of refugees obtain refugee status; others are living in desperate conditions waiting for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to process their cases [28]. Many Iranians practice their freedom of speech and hit the streets to protest what they truly want from the Iranian government.

Documents have surfaced that clearly show Khamenei giving direct orders to deal harshly with demonstrators [28]. They were shot at, arrested, tortured, raped, and executed. Many have fled Iran in fear of arrest, imprisonment, and execution since the regime has labeled them as traitors, working with foreign governments, to overthrow the regime. After the June 2009 election, the regime launched a series of operations to identify and track down those who participated in demonstrations. Worried that stories of torture, rape, and harassment might reach a wider audience, the regime has positioned thousands of plain-clothed intelligence officers throughout Turkey and neighboring countries to actively track, attack, and intimidate Iranian refugees [28]. Those who manage to avoid detection live in destitution, fearful, and in miserable conditions [29]. Despite these reports, the UNHCR continues to tell Iranian refugees that they are protected and safe, when they are not [29]. Yet, many have managed to leave the country and flee for safety, security, and stability elsewhere.

5. Iranian refugees in the United States

The U.S. Bureau of the Census of 2010 estimates the number of Iranians in the United States is at 400,000 [30]. Unofficially, the estimate is closer to one million. The political climate discourages Iranian immigrants from disclosing their native origin; hence, they self-identify as “other” or “Caucasian.” The 2010 Census described the California Iranian American population as largely concentrated in the Los Angeles area, which consequently has the largest concentration of Iranians outside of Iran [30]. Totaling 159,016 persons, this population is larger than the combined number of Iranians in 20 other states. The Los Angeles population is ethnically and religiously diverse. Although Muslims are still the majority, the Armenian, Jewish, and Baha’i communities have a strong presence as well [30]. Divided by political, religious, and social class differences, most live in small social networks [30].

There were three waves of Iranians that fled Iran and headed to the U.S. The earliest wave in 1950–1979 was the young Muslims who wanted to better themselves educationally and economically; they spoke good English and wanted graduate degrees [13]. The second wave of Iranian migration began after the Iranian Revolution of 1979, and included individuals who were unable to live in the new regime because of persecution and lack of freedom. This group was mostly elderly, with lesser knowledge of the English language; including academics, professionals, and business owners who moved to the U.S. to build upon what they originally started in Iran [31]. The third wave occurred in the early 1990s until the present, and it consisted of high-skilled, educated, and working-class individuals and families. The third wave consisted more of the refugee population who were forced to migrate to European countries before arriving in the U.S. [14]. These individuals were mainly refugees fearing persecution and or were forced to leave Iran [13]. Some of these Iranians had to leave their families behind, while others were able to migrate with them.

The 2010 Iranian Count U.S. Census Coalition aimed to address the limitation of the racial classification system of the Census goal. The goal was to attain a more accurate count of the Iranian American population which has been historically underrepresented in the Census data [30]. An estimated “289,465 individuals responded to the race question by marking ‘some other race’ and writing in Iranian/Persian” [32]. Many of these Iranian refugees were the ones that were forced out of Iran after the Revolutionary War because of their religion, and their beliefs against the Islamic Republic about their identities.

Many refugees came as persecuted intellectuals, oppressed minorities, rich professionals, and educated workers; even though their religion may have been the reason for their flee from Iran [32]. Researchers called Iranian refugees who migrate to the U.S. the Iranian Diaspora [32]. Researchers described the diaspora as starting with the revolutionary war and the various reasons that Iranians started to rebel against the government and way of life. The researcher found that the diaspora could also consist of a group of individuals who were forced to mass migrate and leave their native country and construct new identities abroad [32]. The researcher argued that despite experiencing prejudice, demeaning stereotypes, or discrimination from the American people, Iranian refugees have been able to successfully acculturate into the U.S. Successfully acculturating means to be able to assimilate into a new host country and culture when migrating from a completely different culture and country. Some refugees are able to acculturate into the new host culture by learning the language, finding jobs, attending school, and building their new lives within the host country.

When the Islamic government’s political regime reigned the country after the first war in 1979, it forced many Iranians to flee the country due to the threats that were rising onto their families [20]. These refugees and immigrants were working individuals, but not of high-ranking. They owned businesses and worked for other companies. They were not fluent in the English language and had a harder time acculturating to the new culture and lifestyle in the U.S. [20]. Most of these individuals also consisted of the older generations who knew they needed to leave Iran for their safety, protection, and a better life for their families, but also knew they would have a hard time transitioning.

By the year 2000, many academics and industrialists had left Iran towards the U.S. and knew they were not going to return to their home country. Post the 2009 presidential election, many Iranians fled towards the U.S. and European countries. Not only were the Iranians fleeing, but Iran also became a country that hosted other immigrants and refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan, as well. Individuals and families were trying to leave the Islamic Republic behind in any way possible, from all aspects and countries [29, 33].

6. Acculturation of Iranian refugees in the United States

When individuals leave a country and culture that they were raised in, it becomes a challenge when they are forced to leave due to religious and/or political persecution. Once the Islamic Republic of Iran took reign over the country of Iran, it came with many prohibitions for the people, especially the minorities within the country.

One of the many common themes among immigrants and refugees who were born and raised in collectivistic cultures is that they migrate to more individualistic countries despite uncertainty of the lifestyle and living environments. Many individuals and families experience initial culture shock because of the quantity and size of the necessities and things in daily lives. Many families are shocked by the casual lifestyle of Americans, the apparel, how many stores there are, and the large streets and freeways. Language barriers are also a cause for concern when it comes to refugees acculturating into the new host country. Depending on when the individuals and families left Iran, some of them had knowledge of vocabulary words in English, while others did not know any, and the professionals and academics were proficient which helped them acculturate easier.

When individuals enter an unfamiliar culture, they undergo some degree of cultural learning, regarding food habits, and festival celebrations [34, 35]. Acculturative stress is a result of reactions that are found to result in high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. These reactions are linked to the experience of cultural loss and hesitation regarding the ways in which one should get involved as a new member of the new culture and society [32]. Acculturative stress is experienced by many refugees given the fact that they experience feelings of marginality, anxiety, self-esteem issues, and identity confusion [36]. The inability to communicate well, assimilate into daily living tasks, and finding resources for jobs and attending school are all aspects of acculturative stress [37]. Acculturation is not an easy task, particularly considering the conditions of the Iranian refugees. Many individuals faced various obstacles upon entering the U.S. and acculturating into the lifestyle. Gender roles were very different in the U.S. than in Iran, and it was especially difficult for women to respond to their new cultural environments. In Iran as mentioned, the government reigns over the majority and patriarchal views are portrayed onto its people. Men are not only breadwinners in Iran, but they also have the dominance over all the rights in a familial situation. In the U.S. once women realized that they have more rights, power, control, and can be independent of their male counterparts, they were able to acculturate a lot faster and easier than their male partners [37]. Women were able to find jobs, go to school, and decide what they wanted to do for themselves. However, since men were not used to the gender differences in the U.S. it affected them with their self-esteem, control, and independence; as well as not being able to control their female partners and children.

The acculturation process for Iranian refugees meant that they had to start over, learn a new language, find jobs, go to school, and adapt to the new daily life in the U.S. Iranian refugees had some options to learn English in Iran while they were in high school, but most of them explained that it was all grammar, or just vocabulary. None of them were able to use what they were taught in English classes in Iran to the U.S. and converse with people and be understood. After some time, Iranian immigrants and refugees were able to acculturate and conform to many lifestyle changes in the U.S., with the strengths and skills they learned from growing up in strong and resilient families back home [38]. Language was one of the first items on the list for refugees to learn in order to successfully acculturate. Below are the main challenges that Iranian refugees face to acculturate in the U.S.

6.1 Language barriers

Many refugees based their success of acculturation and cultural adaptation on the way they spoke the new language. Speaking English is an essential part of integrating into the workforce, academics, and overall involvement in American society [39]. The data from the 2010 U.S. Census reported 289,465 Iranians over the age of 18 currently reside in the U.S. [30]. Approximately 60 percent of this population reported speaking English very well, and about 24 percent stated that they speak English well. Around 12 percent reported speaking English not well, and 4% do not speak English at all [38].

English and Farsi are very different, it is not similar to any other languages that may use a similar alphabet or different spelling such as English and Spanish. Farsi contains unusual characters, left to right writing, and grammar that is dissimilar and opposite from English. Many Iranian refugees that arrived in the U.S. without English proficiency, had a hard time learning how to read and write; but were able to learn how to speak the language quicker. Adaptation and flexibility to the differences of their home country to the host country were some of the characteristics that refugees employed during the acculturation process.

Language learning and national identity development were not isolated in the process. Language and identity have a lot in common when discussing refugees and acculturation. The language of any culture and country is the first initial way to acquire cultural information and adapt to the lifestyle, as well as communicate with individuals within that host country [40].

6.2 Isolation from family members

Loneliness is a risk factor for many mental health issues, such as depression. Refugee families who arrive later in life may experience higher levels of loneliness than those who may arrive at younger ages. The unfamiliarity of the environment, the language, culture, and lack of community increases the risk of depression and other mental health issues for the elder generations. Relationships with family and those who have migrated together play an important role in the acculturative process and managing overall wellbeing [41].

Immigration is a stressful life event, and refugees commonly experience loneliness as part of their acculturation journey. Loneliness in this realm is defined as an unpleasant feeling or dissatisfaction that arises when one’s network of social relationships is considered deficient in quantity or quality [41]. Aside from loneliness from not having all their family members with them in the new country, many individuals also experience insecurity with residency which also results in isolation and exclusion from the host society. Many families experience shame from others by being labeled as ‘asylum seekers’ which then causes Iranian refugees’ anxiety for being judged and stigmatized. Many individuals who are confused which identity they want to embrace—Iranian or American—find themselves isolating from both communities which also results in loneliness [41].

Acceptance of the new host country is paired with all the obstacles refugees initially face upon arrival to the U.S. After they have been living in the U.S. for a while and have obtained a job, attended school, and had more security with residency, then they are able to focus on other areas of their lives. Many Iranian refugees are not fully acculturated or accepting of the new culture until after they are Naturalized as Citizens, which is after 5 years of residing in the states. Citizenship is an important milestone for many refugee and immigrant families as part of the acculturation process. Many families do not choose to naturalize; however, the majority of refugees who sought asylum to the U.S. became citizens after their five-year mark of living in the states [42]. Refugees who had to leave due to violence and suffered trauma in their country of origin, have differentiating cultural values that affect the need for naturalization due to the potential inability to obtain dual-citizenship. Other refugees who do not naturalize have not accepted their new host country and have difficulty adapting to the new cultural lifestyle and regulations [42].

Among other foreign-born populations, eight to 19% of Iranians were more likely to naturalize than others in the same category. It is also discussed that the longer the refugee families stay in the host country, they have been able to learn more about the culture, learn the language, improve their economic and/or academic situation, and are more likely to acquire citizenship [42].

7. Conclusion

This chapter reviewed the historical context of Iranians, experiences they endured in Iran, reasons they fled to the U.S., as well as their acculturation in the new country. The research provided three themes that were discussed in the chapter. The themes were language barriers, isolation from families, and lifestyle changes. Iranian refugees experienced acculturative stress and obstacles they did not know they would face, and were able to eventually experience the benefits of living in the U.S. as naturalized citizens. First-generation Iranian refugees had a distinct experience after they arrived in the United States. Many Iranian refugees experienced a lot of discrimination and struggles living in their native country, which were reasons they fled. In this chapter, researchers found that political and religious refugees had similar experiences leaving Iran and acculturating into the U.S. The general population needs to be aware of the different struggles but also the strengths that many Iranian refugees brought with them to help acculturate into the new culture. Many Iranian refugees and immigrants continue to grieve and mourn not only the many men, women, and children who have been punished, beaten, prosecuted, and persecuted; but also continue to fight for basic human rights and for the regime to change to protect Iran and its people. This chapter provided information for people who may not understand the obstacles Iranian refugees face migrating and acculturating, and the continued issues they may face living away from home. Further research is needed in understanding statistics of Iranian refugees’ naturalization status, whether they continue to stay in the U.S., as well as research on success rates of becoming professionally and academically accomplished in the new host country.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Parts of this chapter were previously published in doctoral dissertation by: Dr. Tania Hormozi, Dr. Marianne Miller, and Dr. Alyssa Banford: First Generation Iranian Refugees’ Acculturation in the United States: A Focus on Resilience, Alliant International University, 2016.