Why aren't immigrants assimilating like they used to?

Question

Only 20 years ago, immigrants were willing to learn english and become citizens. Today they move to little haiti, little havana, chinatown, etc, and don't bother to learn the language or become u.s citizens. Why the change?

Answer 1

coming from Indonesia I totally am disgusted at how immigrants treat this country. It makes absolutely no sense for all of us to learn and speak every single language each culture has brought to America. I don't know about you but it's going to take a lot of time and effort to speak all 100 plus languages that arrive on these shores. It would make much more sense if everyone learned one universal language ex. English. Saying otherwise in my opinion is Anti American as America can not possibly stand with tiny pockets of cultures here and there. These Immigrants might as well make their own country here as I see it no differently. This is the UNITED states of America. Therefore we ought to be UNITED.

Answer 2

There is definitely a decrease in assimilation cases today, but this is not particular to our generation. Irish people who came from the countryside sometimes didn't speak English and neither did Italians, and they were also criticized for "not assimilating." It is nonsense to say that this characteristic is only of today's immigrants. This phenomenon occurs when a large wave of immigrants arrives in the country, since by having each other as compatriots, they can build their own communities with their own language and their own businesses without having to worry about learning the new language. It is the opposite when an immigrant from a country where not many people come from arrives, since he/she finds himself/herself in a situation where he/she feels obligated to learn. My experience is that when I came to the United States and didn't speak any English, I went to an almost all-white school so I HAD to learn English. I have a friend that came at the same time I did and the same age but barely speaks the language since he found way more Hispanics in his school.

Answer 3

The ones that used to come here wanted to live here , assimilate and become American citizens . Today they only come here to get free all the health care , education and make money to send home .
We as taxpayers , are subsidizing Mexico , to the tune of $20 billion a years .
They are now being told by LaRaza the Southwest belongs to you the Mexican People and if enough of you cross into that , they'll be able to take it back .
They are coming into America to take it over . Just read some of the answers and questions on here .
They actually believe that they have the same rights that legal Americans have and they are told to come here and get them .
Just what do you think is going to happen if and when Bush gets the NAU and the NAFTA Super Highway done . It goes from Mexico to Canada with the only stop being in KC , KS . That's at a Port under Mexico Sovereignty in the US . Now I ask you is that right ????
Where is no American Culture , but there is The American Creed . ( look it up )

Answer 4

I think the US encourages them not to!

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith, becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American. There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag. We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people." Theodore Roosevelt 1907

Answer 5

I don't think things have changed. I think perceptions have. Several of my immigrant relatives never learned English. They depended on the younger members of the family.

Learning a language as an adult is hard work, and many immigrants have jobs and families and don't have the time or money to take English classes. The kids go to school, learn English, and assimilate.

Answer 6

Historically, immigrants do not assimilate all that much, and not quickly. Cultures tend to seek comfort in what they're used to, and it doesn't matter if you're talking Puritans, Germans, Scots, Poles, Mexicans, Chinese, or whatever. Like cleaves to like.

A close similarity between blending cultures improves the speed of assimilation.

Various laws in the gaining society will affect the rate at which assimilation occurs (e.g. - mandatory schooling in dominant language for school-aged children).

Answer 7

it truly is because of the fact the immigrants of right this moment think of that's their top to be here and use our components while immigrants on the turn of the century got here here and truly worked for each little thing they had there are various extra regulations protecting this wave of immigration and has made them a lazy bunch of leetches,it truly is the reason lots of persons desire a substantial immigration reform i've got self belief there could be a language tax on immigrants that could desire to be paid till they have sufficiantly found out trouble-free conversational english the tax would be to pay for their classes as quickly as they have exceeded the direction succesfully they now not pay the tax, dont circulate to the class pay the tax till finally you may attempt out

Answer 8

Because, honestly, they don't have to.

Everyting has been made so politically correct and we seem to be afraid of encouraging American culture because someone may be "offended" (heaven for bid!). Not to mention that bi-lingual education in schools doesn't mandate students even learn English.

Along with those ideas, there truly seems to be a sense of entitlement and the feeling that we, as Americans, need to adapt to every other culture that comes here, rather then their cultures adapting to ours. Everyone is so quick to jump on the "I have rights" bandwagon, but I believe certain rights need to come with citizenship.

Answer 9

Our governments are codling them too much. In the past, the character of the individual immigrant was the key for success of future generations. How can a culture assimilate into another when the host culture practices "multiculturalism"? The answer is that reverse assimilation occurs.

Answer 10

There are many agencies that cater to them while basically telling them they don't have to. Twenty some years ago,these advocacy groups were few and far between. Some people are so quick to cry "discrimination" that ,many are reluctant to address the issue.I have no problem with immigrants gravitating towards their own communities,but I do have a problem with people who refuse to learn English.