Polarization is the best way to define the discussion over immigration in the United States. For decades, immigration has been at the forefront of political discourse in America. With this conversation, it is imperative not to overlook the most important element of the legal immigration process: assimilation.
“We must insist on assimilation — immigration without assimilation is an invasion. We need to tell folks who want to come here they need to come here legally. They need to learn English, adopt our values, roll up their sleeves, and get to work.”
While former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal's words might seem overly assertive, his opinion is difficult to discredit since he is the son of two legal immigrants from India. Furthermore, the substance of his argument should be uncontroversial.
There is no question that immigrants have contributed significantly to the United States throughout its history and that it is a moral good to continue to offer them the opportunity to participate in the American experiment. After all, most Americans have descended from either immigrants or settlers.
Jindal is not against immigration. He would not be in this nation without it, but he understands that foreigners seeking to join America must adopt its ways. President Calvin Coolidge considered this self-evident when he said, “Restricted immigration is not an offensive but purely a defensive action. It is not adopted in criticism of others in the slightest degree, but solely for the purpose of protecting ourselves. We cast no aspersions on any race or creed, but we must remember that every object of our institutions of society and government will fail unless America be kept American.”
When he states, “America must be kept American,” he is speaking about our customs, culture, and, most importantly, our values. When immigrants, whether by design or neglect, are not encouraged — or required — to learn or adopt the language, principles, and norms that underpin American society, we begin to lose our national identity.
What sets the U.S. apart from most nations is that we are uniquely bonded by a values system. The phrase “E pluribus unum,” meaning “out of many, one,” is only accurate because we strive to be one people amalgamated behind the American creed. That creed is enshrined in the birth certificate of the United States, The Declaration of Independence, when it says:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
Every immigrant who enters the United States and seeks to become a citizen should be expected to adhere to that creed and embrace the American way of life. In other words, they must become Americans. The U.S. might be a “melting pot” of ethnic backgrounds, but it must not be a melting pot of values. Ideas such as freedom of speech, the rule of law, and individual rights are not abstract concepts but rather fundamental cornerstones of American society and governance.
Following the Constitutional Convention of 1787, a woman in the crowd outside Independence Hall named Elizabeth Willing Powell asked Benjamin Franklin as he exited the building, “Well, doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” Franklin responded, “A Republic, if you can keep it.” The mantle of responsibility, passed on to us by Franklin to cherish our republic, requires us to inculcate all who wish to call America their home with our principles. Immigrants who recognize with an implicit understanding that they are joining a society established on these values, will uphold their responsibility to reinforce them.
Language is often the first and most overlooked hurdle for immigrants to overcome. Communicating in English is not only a symbolic act of integration into the United States, but it also serves a practical purpose in achieving economic success. English is an instrument for social mobility and civic engagement. Thus, those who cannot effectively communicate in English cannot fully participate in the country’s social and civic life. For example, the duty bestowed to citizens of jury service becomes nearly impossible without knowing English.
This should be an obvious proposal. Ostensibly, to most Americans, it is. According to a 2017 Pew Research Study, 70% of Americans believe that it is “very important” to be “truly American” that you speak English. However, Americans do have cause to be concerned by the 30% who do not, mainly because that group is primarily constructed of young people. A mere 58% of 18 to 34-year-olds assert that proficiency in English matters. Furthermore, the study states that only about half of all immigrants to the U.S. in 2014 were proficient in English.
Speaking our common language and assuming our values allows immigrants to contribute to our society. President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” Liberty is not inherited naturally; it is passed down through posterity by being trained to treasure it and it is adopted by immigrants. By signing onto our country’s “social contract” and participating in our culture, immigrants can become genuine Americans.
The vision of assimilation recognizes that the strength of the U.S. is not necessarily homogeneity or even diversity but a commitment to a shared set of ideals. By coming to America, immigrants are welcomed to join an enduring legacy and entrusted to participate in an ongoing project of building upon the foundation laid by our Founding Fathers. The future of the United States depends on whether all who call America home are Americans.
Zachary Gohl serves as an intern at Family Research Council.
