Illegal Immigrants [in America] III. Cultural Identity

CULTURAL IDENTITY

Before this recent mass migration of latin workers, young men and families from Europe and Asia had come to America looking for work to improve their lot. They migrated to America to start again. Many had the dream of simply work hard and my kids will have better opportunity than I. They dreamed of their sons and daughters having the chance at an education and being somebody important, successful or even just rich. These opportunities were not available for them in their native countries. Latino workers do just the same, however, the close proximity to America allows them to go home for good when they get enough to survive on. This is probably the biggest fear and the reason many Americans support anti illegal immigration legislation...They don't want to become us, they just want to make money off of us. This is not to say that many don't want to move here for good, it's just that so many are here with no intention on becoming citizens and with their families elsewhere, there is no community to pledge allegiance to. There is no desire to keep neighborhoods clean and healthy, no reason to report crimes, no reason to become part of a greater community. They also make it harder for latino immigrants to assimilate here. With so many illegals in such small enclaves, the latino culture is difficult to lose. Spanish is not broken and it is possible to live entirely in spanish speaking communities without ever having to learn English. That's fine, except that because this country is a predominantly English-speaking country, in order to be successful, it is completely necessary to speak English, and by that I don't mean pidgeon English. What incentive is their for foreign workers to learn the language if they don't plan on staying?