National Immigrant Heritage Month: Why We Stand Together

posted on: Jun 10, 2026

In June, National Immigrant Heritage Month reminds us that our nation has always been shaped by immigrants.

For Arab Americans, this month carries special meaning because the Arab American story is an immigrant story.

The first major wave of Arab immigrants arrived in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, primarily from the region known as Greater Syria (Biladi Sham), which included present-day Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Jordan. Many of those early immigrants were peddlers, traveling from town to town selling goods.

The next wave came after World War II. Many were students pursuing higher education. Others were professionals. Many Palestinians came following the Nakba of 1948. These immigrants brought skills, ambition, and a determination to succeed. Doctors, engineers, educators, scientists, and entrepreneurs became part of communities across America.

Then came another wave for political reasons. The Lebanese Civil War and conflicts throughout the Arab World saw many families immigrate to the United States during the 1970s and 1980s.

More recently, refugees from Syria, Sudan, and other conflict-ridden countries migrated, carrying difficult memories but also resilience and hope.

Today, Arab Americans serve in every profession. They own businesses across America. They teach in classrooms, care for patients in hospitals, serve in the military, are scientists, hold elected office, and volunteer in their communities.

Yet despite this history, many Arab Americans understand what it feels like to be viewed as an outsider.

At different periods in our nation’s history, Arab Americans have found themselves unfairly judged by stereotypes. Many who have lived in America for generations sometimes feel as though they need to prove they belong.

That experience is not unique to Arab Americans. Many immigrant communities have faced similar challenges. Throughout our history, Irish, Italian, Jewish, Asian, Latino, and other immigrant groups experienced discrimination before finally becoming recognized as part of the American mosaic.

That is why National Immigrant Heritage Month matters.

It reminds us that the immigrant experience is not an insignificant story in America. It is the story. With the exception of Indigenous peoples, nearly every American family can trace its roots to someone who came from another country seeking opportunity, freedom, security, or a better future.

In today’s climate, conversations about immigration can become political. But behind every debate are the people, families, and stories. Most immigrants come for the same reasons all immigrants have come: to work, to raise families, and to become a part of our great country.

As we celebrate National Immigrant Heritage Month, we recognize that our community’s future is the future of other immigrant communities. When one group is marginalized or treated as less American, it affects all of us. When one community succeeds, it strengthens all of us.

That is why standing together matters.

At Arab America and the Arab America Foundation, we often talk about promoting, educating, and connecting. Those goals are rooted in a simple belief: people are stronger when they are together, sharing each other’s experiences.

National Immigrant Heritage Month gives us an opportunity to celebrate those stories and the generations of immigrants who helped build America. The values that brought so many Arab American and immigrant families here—hard work, opportunity, freedom, and hope are as important today as they were 150 years ago.

Our forefathers may have arrived from different countries, but the journey that brought them here is one we all share. That shared experience is worth remembering, celebrating, and protecting—not only during National Immigrant Heritage Month, but throughout the year.

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