Why hmong people come to america

Share: Share Tweet Email. Today, the Fresno area has the second-largest Hmong population in the country behind Minneapolis, with about 33, people living in the region. During the Vietnam War, Hmong boys and men were recruited to fight in the CIA-sponsored operation known as the Secret War to prevent communism from spreading deeper into Southeast Asia.

After the U. Thousands died and thousands fled to refugee camps in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Report a correction or typo. The family found themselves in an alien world, living on the eighth floor of high-rise tenement house in Chicago, Illinois. In , Paja and his family moved to Appleton, Wisconsin, home to a large Hmong population.

He is the father of 13 children. The oldest son still lives in Laos. Today, Paja continues as a respected leader and healer in the Appleton community. Hmong refugees arrived in Portland and surrounding communities with few possessions. They spoke little English, and they were among the least educated and poorest minorities in the United States. Most brought with them only a bundle or two of clothing and household goods.

At first, they relied on government assistance and, when possible, did farm work to support themselves. For the men who had worked as soldiers, finding work proved more difficult. IRCO and a consortium of other agencies helped the newly arrived families get oriented to American society and culture and to find jobs. As they learned English and gained job skills, Hmong men and women found work in service and production operations.

Firms such as Purdy Brushes found that the Hmong men who had made their own homes, tools, weapons, and jewelry in Laos had the skills needed for producing fine, handmade paint brushes.

Some also moved to be closer to their extended families. By , only about Hmong lived in the state. The exodus was temporary, however, and by approximately 3, Hmong lived in Oregon, most of them in the Willamette Valley.

The tradition of two to three generations living together has helped the Hmong move up the socio-economic ladder. Oregon Hmongs continue many traditional practices.