Official: U.S. Undergoing Largest Wave Of Immigration In History
Last updated Friday, May 2, 2008 8:24 PM CDT in News
By Steve Caraway
The Morning News
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SPRINGDALE - The United States is going through the largest wave of immigration in its history.
So said Alfonso Aguilar, chief of the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services' Office of Citizenship, in his keynote speech at Hispanic Woman's Organization of Arkansas' annual conference Friday. He estimates 14 percent of the residents of the United States will be foreign-born in 2025 and 19 percent by 2050.
"The immigrants aren't settling in the usual spots - New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami," Aguilar said. "They are spreading across the country. Arkansas is one of the top of the new gateway states."
The Office of Citizenship aims to educate immigrants on the benefits of naturalization, with the intention of assimilating new citizens into the country. The target audience for Aguilar includes an estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants now living in the country.
"These people are living on the margins," Aguilar said. "They are not integrated into the community."
Aguilar called the existing immigration system broken and listed President George W. Bush's points for reform - border security; enforcing the law domestically; a guest worker program; a revised naturalization program; and encouragement of assimilation.
"We need a new Americanization movement in the 21st Century," Aguilar said.
An Americanization movement in the early 20th Century immigration wave helped new arrivals feel like Americans, Aguilar said. Those immigrants were mainly European, while the new wave is not, Aguilar said.
"It should be political values that unite us, not cultural values," Aguilar said. "This country's residents, both citizens and immigrants, need to learn what the U.S. political system means. We want people to develop a sense of patriotism."
Three new citizens were introduced at the conference. Gloria Calvera, Cecilia Smith and Felix Lopez said how proud they were to be U.S. citizens.
"I have lived in the United States for 17 years," Lopez said. "Citizenship is my way to live a better life."
Near the conclusion of his address Aguilar warned, "If immigrants don't assimilate now, we will have problems 20 or 30 years down the road."
Integrated immigrants is a two-way street, said Margarita Solorzano, executive director of the Hispanic Women's Organization.
"You have to create a sense of belonging to a community," Solorzano said. "If new immigrants are welcomed, it will create the desire to interact with others. If they are not welcomed, it can create a feeling of isolation which is not good for either group."
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Reader Comments (35 comment(s))
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fedup wrote on May 2, 2008 11:15 PM:
" "If immigrants don't assimilate now, we will have problems 20 or 30 years down the road." The problems are already here. Many have lived in the U.S. for several years and still refuse to learn english and think they still live in Mexico. The only patriotism most have is for their home country. The immigrant of the early twentieth century did not have someone to constantly translate for them or have every form or paper they filled out written in their native language. The U.S. government has made it too easy for the immigrant of today. Assimilation should not only be encouraged, it should be mandatory. "
adabell wrote on May 2, 2008 11:38 PM:
" news today:Disturbing, gang-like graffiti is cropping up all over a Brooklyn elementary school, marring a playground, classrooms and two teachers' cars, authorities said.
The troubling words "Jump White People" and abbreviation "JWP" have appeared at Public School 224 in East New York about a dozen times in the past three weeks, and some teachers are concerned that it's not being taken seriously.
"It just quietly gets erased," one teacher said. "Nothing gets done."
"
The troubling words "Jump White People" and abbreviation "JWP" have appeared at Public School 224 in East New York about a dozen times in the past three weeks, and some teachers are concerned that it's not being taken seriously.
"It just quietly gets erased," one teacher said. "Nothing gets done."
"
adabell wrote on May 3, 2008 1:13 AM:
" more news:California, The East Bay Municipal Utility District announced in April that it was considering water rationing, price increases and other measures in response to critically low reservoirs. The district, which serves 1.3 million customers in Contra Costa and Alameda counties, will vote on the measures this month.
We sure me more immigrants.
"
We sure me more immigrants.
"
Madison wrote on May 3, 2008 6:03 AM:
" Americanization movement!!
What we need is to deport the illegal aliens along with their anchor babies back to where they came from now!!
They have no intentions of becoming Americanized.All they want to is take over our country.They want us to change to suit them,and I'm not about to do any such thing!! "
What we need is to deport the illegal aliens along with their anchor babies back to where they came from now!!
They have no intentions of becoming Americanized.All they want to is take over our country.They want us to change to suit them,and I'm not about to do any such thing!! "
cybertech wrote on May 3, 2008 6:20 AM:
" I am just curious. If I went out and robbed a local bank would that be ok?? I mean really I would only do it for a better life, really (note sarcasm here)
Think about that for a minute. No I am not comparing illegals to thug criminals. Its just that some have such a hard time facing the fact that they broke the law and by just allowing them to go through the process without being charged with the crime they committed either deportation or a fine, it really is just like saying well I only robbed that bank for a better life for me and my family.
Its time to stop the nonsense. If you wish to come here without going through naturalization and/or have no wishes to assimilate and become American Citizens then dont come here, if you are already here and the above applies go home you are not welcome.
If you are going through the Naturalization and plane to become a legal tax paying citizen of the United States then you are more than welcome here.
Its as simple as that! "
Think about that for a minute. No I am not comparing illegals to thug criminals. Its just that some have such a hard time facing the fact that they broke the law and by just allowing them to go through the process without being charged with the crime they committed either deportation or a fine, it really is just like saying well I only robbed that bank for a better life for me and my family.
Its time to stop the nonsense. If you wish to come here without going through naturalization and/or have no wishes to assimilate and become American Citizens then dont come here, if you are already here and the above applies go home you are not welcome.
If you are going through the Naturalization and plane to become a legal tax paying citizen of the United States then you are more than welcome here.
Its as simple as that! "
Madison wrote on May 3, 2008 7:32 AM:
" We are starting to hit hard times in this country with the continued rise of fuel costs,and that gets passed down to everything we buy.Jobs are getting harder to find for citisens because they are being undercut by illegals that will work for less.What's going to happen when to many citizens can't find work to support their families? I can tell you what I think is going to happen,and that's another civil war in this country,especial if we get another president that tries to shove amnesty down out throats. "
Robb wrote on May 3, 2008 8:52 AM:
" We are all preaching to the choir. And if anybody thinks things will change whether it's Clinton, Obama or McCain in the White House, they are naive and crazy. None of these gutless politicians will do anything. And they always say we want to pay down the debt for our children, find alternative fuel for our children, etc. etc. But with no immigration policy what kind of America are they going to leave FOR THE CHILDREN? "
cybertech wrote on May 3, 2008 6:27 PM:
" The problem is there is already an immigration policy in place. The biggest problem is border security.
The only real thing that needs to be done to the current policy is to find the trouble spots and fix them so that it runs efficiently.
As for the border, well if they would just build that fence and implement the other security measures that were promised as well as fix the problem areas in the current immigration policy, then we would be far better off than we are now.
They want you to believe that its just not that simple to fix. Sorry to say it is way less complex then they are making it out to be.
As well I do not buy for one minute the arguments "we cant deport them all" or that "states should not be enforcing federal immigration policies" both just another excuse to sit back, twiddle thumbs and wait for those kickbacks. "
The only real thing that needs to be done to the current policy is to find the trouble spots and fix them so that it runs efficiently.
As for the border, well if they would just build that fence and implement the other security measures that were promised as well as fix the problem areas in the current immigration policy, then we would be far better off than we are now.
They want you to believe that its just not that simple to fix. Sorry to say it is way less complex then they are making it out to be.
As well I do not buy for one minute the arguments "we cant deport them all" or that "states should not be enforcing federal immigration policies" both just another excuse to sit back, twiddle thumbs and wait for those kickbacks. "
sovereignty wrote on May 3, 2008 10:18 PM:
" we once let a bunch of people in from Germany & Italy only to then ask them or their children to return to their homelands in the uniform of our military and under arms with orders to kill those from whom they came. how many of us believe that today's illegal or even legal immigrant from say mexico would take the oath of our military and then be used as a tool of war to invade mexico? i know that many of them serve in our present war zillions of miles away against a people they did not come from but to fight your own is a much different thing. my people came here in 1643 and were instrumental in defeating the British in our Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. i have no use for a people that come here and will not play by the rules much less be willing to fight and die for us if called upon to do so. "
Tspud wrote on May 4, 2008 9:07 PM:
" Robb has hit the nail on the head with his comment. I don't like any of the 3 presidential candidates. Their pandering to ILLEGALS as future voters should scare the H out of us. The birth rate of the ILLEGALS is one of the largest things driving the population growth. They also have a higher unwed mother rate. How long before they start to vote more freebies for themselves at our expense? Just where does unchecked illegal immigration stop, 150 million more? "
adabell wrote on May 4, 2008 9:28 PM:
" Most Americans want it to stop. Overpopulation means a lower quality of life for us all. We have to demand from our congress and senate to enforce and limit immigration. "
adabell wrote on May 4, 2008 9:29 PM:
" More sad news in LA this weekend. Outside of a nightclub, a man was urinating against the wall. Another man asked him not to do that, ladies are present. Words were exchanged, and the man who had been urinating outside, got in his car and ran over the other man, dragged him, came back, and ran over him again. The man who was ran over died at the hospital. No word about whether the Hispanic man driving the car was legal.
In San Diego, a man claimed that he was attacked by a man whom he tried to stop from urinating on a tree in the park because children were there.
Though this may be OK in other places, it is not OK here. "
In San Diego, a man claimed that he was attacked by a man whom he tried to stop from urinating on a tree in the park because children were there.
Though this may be OK in other places, it is not OK here. "
masonstorm1958 wrote on May 4, 2008 10:17 PM:
" I wonder if the so-called censors have black listed me? I've had three different posts cut from the blogs in just as many days. One of them qustioning their lititary honesty in reporting the news. It was scathingly vitrolic and directly aimed at them for censoring free speech. Let's see if this one makes the cut. One other thing I learned from their policies is that it is complaint driven. In other words, if somebody has a problem with your post it gets cut. So if to many people complain you don't get to have your say. Maybe it's only m, I don't know anymore. They keep moving and blurring the line. "
masonstorm1958 wrote on May 5, 2008 11:36 AM:
" Well, make that a total of five now. Just had two more removed from another current article.This post and the one before it are the only two to make the cut. "
Tspud wrote on May 5, 2008 2:02 PM:
" What irks most of is seeing news reported like this line from another article about these deaths "Cadena, an illegal Mexican immigrant who was never issued an Indiana driver's license, had multiple driving offenses in Lake County on his record, including three speeding offenses and drunken driving charges filed in 2001 and 2003." or "In October 2003, Cadena was pulled over by State Police for unsafe lane movement and driving while intoxicated with a blood-alcohol level above 0.15 percent -- nearly double the 0.08 percent required for a drunken driving charge. Cadena again reached a plea deal with prosecutors and received a suspended sentence of one year by Judge Julie Cantrell. Cantrell also saw Cadena in court in June 2006, when he was charged with driving 77 miles per hour in a 55-mile-per hour zone, failure to register his vehicle and driving without a license.
He paid $330 in fines. In April 2003, Cadena was ticketed for driving 71 in a 35 mile-per-hour zone.
Most recently, he was ticketed for driving with a suspended license in February -- his court date was May 30 before Judge Jesse Villalpando -- and parking in a fire lane in March."
And these are the ones in the shadows????? "
He paid $330 in fines. In April 2003, Cadena was ticketed for driving 71 in a 35 mile-per-hour zone.
Most recently, he was ticketed for driving with a suspended license in February -- his court date was May 30 before Judge Jesse Villalpando -- and parking in a fire lane in March."
And these are the ones in the shadows????? "
adabell wrote on May 5, 2008 4:39 PM:
" Tspud, how right you are, we all know that in the shadows business is a farce, and if you object you are racist, another tactic designed to shame you into silence. People in the shadows do not have demonstrations and would not have the gall to wave a flag from another country. The crime that is tolerated with fines and suspended sentences is just another insult to our intelligence. "
adabell wrote on May 5, 2008 4:40 PM:
" as individuals it is understandable why people would leave Mexico and Latin America, where there is an abundance of resources that is so mismanaged that there is great poverty. Japanese say that if they had the natural resources of Mexico, they would have surpassed the US as a world power. But the same people who have mismanaged their own resources have relocated to the US, waving the flag of Mexico, and with the same thought patterns as they had in Mexico. It is American thought, culture, and habits that made the US, just as it is Mexican thought culture and habits that made Mexico, and that same thought, culture and habits has been relocated here. This means they will now share in our abundance and we will share their poverty. I have the gall to say that the group consciousness of the people illegally relocating here are responsible for their poverty in Mexico. "
adabell wrote on May 5, 2008 4:44 PM:
" As far as voting for OBAMA is concerned, he and the illegals have the same slogan, "Yes, we can". It is what the illegal immigrant demonstators chant, and it was also the chant Castro used. Obama belonged to the socialist democratic party. "
Tspud wrote on May 5, 2008 6:43 PM:
" Barack(McCain as well) has made it clear he knows better than the rest of us on the immigration issue. Look at his votes on the subject and you will see what direction the country will go if he is elected. If there is a path to citizenship than those will get to bring their family here as well. We need millions more uneducated unskilled people that we will have to support with taxes for their new health care plan. I am mad as H about politicians voting against the will of the people. They know they can away with it because they have been re-elected so many times. So few people vote that when only 30% show up to vote, it only takes 16% to vote them into office and then they crow about a mandate. "
adabell wrote on May 5, 2008 7:30 PM:
" Tspud, you got that right. The illegals think they will get amnesty when we get a new president, but if the president could do that on his own, they would have had amnesty with Bush. Amenesty has been tried and failed in terms of stopping illegal immigration, it encourages more illegals. Still, B Hussein Obama has to be the worst candidate in terms of illegals. At least the other two promise to secure the borders. "
Tspud wrote on May 5, 2008 9:59 PM:
" Those are word they will say to get elected. You can 't count on any of them. All 3 have voted for amnesty and McCain's name was on the bill. Today it was announced that McCain will speak at the annual conference of the National Council of La Raza (thats The Race) Hillary just said she will not come down on sanctuary cities so they know whre to hide while stealing the social services. "
sovereignty wrote on May 5, 2008 10:11 PM:
" did you all catch the recent article about our senior citizens having to be put on waiting lists for meals on wheels if they are just getting into the program? the issue is a lack of monies. there is only so much of pie to go around. between an ill-advised war and billions being spent to educate the children of illegal aliens, not to mention the other costs associated with them, we have less monies for our own legal elderly and veterans, etc. now when a people cannot take care of their own because their elected political leaders favor those who do not belong here then we do indeed have a problem. and yet who will listen to we the little people? the republicans cannot even find anyone willing to run against pryor or lincoln. i recently wrote to the national republican party, via the return of a survey they sent to me asking for monies, that i am considering not voting for mccain. the party has not cared for me ref the two issues i care about (illegal immigration and secure borders) so why should i vote for them. besides, mccain is on the same page with the two dems anyway. might as well punish the party i use to care for and support since they have hurt my country. bush could issue a presidential order tomorrow and secure the border. after 911 only a fool wants the borders not secure, or a person with an agenda against us. "
adabell wrote on May 5, 2008 10:51 PM:
" I don't have a solution regarding our poor choices for president. I was upset that McCain won too, because the Republican party, although weak on illegal immigration, is stronger than the Dems. There were some good choices in the beginning. Let's face it, Republican voters chose McCain, granted Huckabee was a spoiler.
It is a darn shame our resources are going to illegals instead of American elderly and needy. The only thing I know to do is write, fax and email our senators, congressmen, governors, majors, etc. Does anyone else have an idea? "
It is a darn shame our resources are going to illegals instead of American elderly and needy. The only thing I know to do is write, fax and email our senators, congressmen, governors, majors, etc. Does anyone else have an idea? "
adabell wrote on May 5, 2008 11:00 PM:
" Although illegals are not supposed to be eligible for social services, the estimates are that 41% of the illegals are getting some kind of government assistance and 60% of hud funds are going to illegals. Nice of them to leave 40% for Americans. "
Tspud wrote on May 6, 2008 8:29 AM:
" I have some ideas but I guess I would be called a racist by some but it would apply to ANY illegal alien from any country. It just so happens the flood is from countries south of our border. These may never happen but they would help. First would be to increase courts at federal level to do nothing but immigration deportation of criminals. Next would be to create tent camps like Sheriff Joe's in AZ for these criminals to work in while serving their sentence. Remember they came here to work so lets put them to work on a public project. A fence on the border comes to mind. They then would be fingerprinted & DNA sampled for future use when they try to come back(felony) Last would be to create a program to ID social welfare cheats. If a person KNEW of someone collecting on social programs that was doing so illegally, they could let authorities know(anon) and they could get a reward from monies saved on not paying the illegal benefits. I know this is risky but how many of us know people who are cheating the system and do nothing? We need the services to be for the people intended not cheats same goes for hospitals and ILLEGALS not paying their bills. Under new president that area will be greatly expanded and tax payers will have to pick up the difference. ILLEGALS do not pay near enough taxes to make up for social services used. "
adabell wrote on May 6, 2008 4:53 PM:
" Tspud, you have good ideas, they are practical, not racist, but what I was referring to is ideas on how to get our own government to be more responsive to the will of the people and the issues. Your ideas, however good, are useless if not implemented and it takes a responsive government to implement them. I have written so many letters and faxes and emails to people in government, I have lost track. "
Tspud wrote on May 6, 2008 9:23 PM:
" I too have written letters to no avail. Many never get a response. My local reps have voted for most of the things we citizens have made clear we don't want. The people no longer have the will or the brains to vote an incumbent out so the mess will get worse. "
adabell wrote on May 6, 2008 10:19 PM:
" Don't give up. The country cannot absorb the impoverished of Latin America without our own economy suffering. Our government knows that and sooner or later they will have to consider the good of the country. We can only hope it's not too late to salvage our own economy and resources. Mexico has some of the wealthiest people on the planet. They want to export their poor to us, they sure don't want to pay taxes to subsidize them.
Let's all keep up our pressure, that's all we can do I guess. "
Let's all keep up our pressure, that's all we can do I guess. "
Fayetteville wrote on May 7, 2008 12:48 PM:
" Our government supports this.
In fact, if its damaging to the founding European-American majority, you can bet our government will support it or allow it to happen.
The day "our" government does something, anything beneficial for the White, Christian majority is the day I will care again about the USA.
As long as our government insists on destroying us and our culture, I will not shed one tear over the decline of this country. "
In fact, if its damaging to the founding European-American majority, you can bet our government will support it or allow it to happen.
The day "our" government does something, anything beneficial for the White, Christian majority is the day I will care again about the USA.
As long as our government insists on destroying us and our culture, I will not shed one tear over the decline of this country. "
adabell wrote on May 7, 2008 5:53 PM:
" Currently there are proposals from Hispanics in congress and the senate to spend a millions of tax dollars on a Latina museum because they have contributed so much to our country, not a black museum, a Chinese museum, a Japanese museum or a caucaciun museum, the big builders of this country and the ones who should be singled out for recognition according to Hispanics who have been elected to office. They have also of course lobbied to change the name of a park in California to the Latin American Park. McCain meets with LaRaza, the race, to discuss Hispanic issues, as did Kennedy, since they claim to speak for Hispanics, the race. But they call us racists. "
jopa wrote on May 7, 2008 7:03 PM:
" I would love it that if when an illeagal came into the ER we could call ICE to check them out. If they want healthcare then let them be leagal. 3000.00 of my tax money for EVERY anchor baby. That is so wrong. I almost agree withthe camps, however the politicans that are against reform, why dont we move 1 illeagal family into THEIR neighborhood and we shall see how fast they change their minds. "
fedup wrote on May 7, 2008 7:16 PM:
" jopa you have hit the nail on the head. The politicians are not living in the "real world" the rest of us have to live in. If they had to live anywhere close to illegals, had to work and shop around them, had their children attend the same schools as the illegals children, had their hometowns ruined, etc., we would not be having these discussions. Out of site-out of mind. "
adabell wrote on May 7, 2008 8:47 PM:
" foxnews says:The latest battle in the war on illegal immigration isn't over the smuggling of undocumented workers, it's over the trash they leave behind.
And the cleanup is costing taxpayers millions.
In 2006 alone, more than 1.18 million pounds of trash was collected along southern Arizona border, many in the meeting spots where immigrants rest, change clothes and wait to hitch a ride further north with a smuggler.Arizonia officials have spent approximately $4.4 million over five years to clean up the mess, that continues to build with each crossing. "
And the cleanup is costing taxpayers millions.
In 2006 alone, more than 1.18 million pounds of trash was collected along southern Arizona border, many in the meeting spots where immigrants rest, change clothes and wait to hitch a ride further north with a smuggler.Arizonia officials have spent approximately $4.4 million over five years to clean up the mess, that continues to build with each crossing. "
Fayetteville wrote on May 8, 2008 3:31 PM:
" White people might as well start circling the wagons.
We will need our solidarity as the nation's largest minority group in a few short years.
Support your white cultural organizations. Support white-owned businesses.
Every other group in this "nation" does it. Time for white people to start playing the same game. "
We will need our solidarity as the nation's largest minority group in a few short years.
Support your white cultural organizations. Support white-owned businesses.
Every other group in this "nation" does it. Time for white people to start playing the same game. "
Not already registered?
adabell wrote on May 2, 2008 10:10 PM: