With new Official English bills pending in Congress, and similar measures in state legislatures around the country, the question is moving front and center: Does the United States need to enforce the use of the English language?
Many Americans say yes, and note that it’s become easier to function in the United States with barely any proficiency in English.
But many others say no, and stress that everyone knows that English is the nation’s official language, and that most immigrants make an effort to learn it amid juggling jobs and raising their families.
“Learning English has become a neglected area of our immigration policy,” said Jessica Vaughan, the director of policy studies for the Center for Immigration Studies, which favors stricter immigration controls. “A lot of people are not feeling like they have to learn to English.”
“Immigration into the United States is so dominated by immigrants from one particular linguistic group,” Vaughan said, “this enables the creation of segments of society – because there are so many people who speak Spanish – that don’t have the incentive or pressure to learn English because they can get by without it.”
But those who oppose Official English measures say they are mean-spirited.
They argue that th………….
….. Read the full article