How a Chicago Nonprofit Is Helping Haitian Immigrants Overcome Language Barriers

A Chicago nonprofit offers in-person interpreters to help Haitian immigrants overcome language barriers and navigate the U.S. immigration system.

by Obed Lamy

From finding their first job to adjusting to unfamiliar weather, Haitian immigrants who arrived in Chicago during the migrant influx of summer 2022 have faced numerous challenges in building new lives in the United States. One of the biggest barriers is language, as many do not speak English, the language spoken by about 72% of the U.S. population.

The Haitian Congress to Fortify Haiti, an organization founded in 2005 by a group of Haitian-Americans, is among the few groups focused on addressing that barrier. It provides in-person interpreters for immigrants who speak Haitian Creole and French.

The service operates through a partnership with The Resurrection Project, a local nonprofit that offers free immigration legal services in Chicago.

Here is how the process works: When a Haitian immigrant seeking asylum visits the Haitian Congress office for help, staff collect basic information and schedule an appointment with The Resurrection Project, where attorneys and legal staff handle immigration cases. Once the immigrant receives a case appointment, the Haitian Congress sends an interpreter to attend the meeting in person. The interpreter translates the conversation between the immigrant, who speaks Haitian Creole and the legal representative, who speaks English.

This service is critical, even for immigrants with some English proficiency, because misunderstandings in immigration applications can have serious consequences.

“We have some legal terms they need to be able to understand when they are doing the application,” said Aline Lauture, executive director of the Haitian Congress. “It’s very important that these folks [interpreters] go and help them out.”

Hospitals, courts and government agencies sometimes provide over-the-phone interpretation, where a professional interpreter translates remotely during medical visits or hearings. But remote services have limitations. Interpreters cannot fully observe body language, facial expressions or other cultural nuances.

Lauture, who has worked as both a phone and video interpreter, said in-person interpretation allows for greater accuracy and trust. “Let’s say you’re on the line and I am interpreting for you, I don’t see your gestures. I don’t really see your discomfort,” she said.

“There is a certain level of comfort that the person feels, that someone actually speaks my language, understands everything I say, and can make sure the other person understands what I am saying,” Lauture added.

Right now, only seven interpreters handle this work and the service is only limited to appointments at The Resurrection Project, which covers their pay. 

“When people ask us for interpreters to go to immigration appointments, we can suggest names from a pool of interpreters,” Lauture said, though clients must pay for those services themselves. 

Lauture said she hopes to grow the program to provide free translation services for immigrants who struggle with language barriers at medical appointments and other everyday situations that require translation.

Providing formal training for interpreters, as many of whom are not professionally certified, is also a goal. However, the organization operates on a tight budget, limiting its capacity.

Lauture also expressed concern that stepped-up immigration enforcement may discourage immigrants from seeking help.

“Nothing is sure with this type of work because of the way things are going,” she said. “At any moment, this work disappears.”