Thread: Mexican, American - or both?

Mexican, American - or both?

Some Hispanics pushing for dual citizenship

10:07 AM MST on Wednesday, October 11, 2006

By LENNOX SAMUELS / The Dallas Morning News

CHICAGO – The Mexican tricolor flaps on some verandas along Pulaski Road, while the U.S. flag takes pride of place on others. Ranchera music blares from the Happy Dollar Plus store as a vendor pushes his cart along 26th Street, selling mango-flavored frozen treats to parched customers.

The intersection of 26th and Pulaski is in the core of the Windy City, but by sights, sounds and smells, it could be in any town in Mexico. This is La Villita, "Little Village," where about 100,000 people live and work, maintaining the Spanish language, traditions and culture of Mexico.

As President Bush and others call for assimilation of Latino immigrants, some Hispanics in La Villita and other parts of the country, including North Texas, are on what could be a collision course, pushing to be fully binational, with equal rights in Mexico and the United States and grounded in both societies.

"We're never giving up our Mexican roots," said Maria Cantú-Dougala, assistant vice president of Second Federal Savings and an American citizen. "I still consider myself Mexican. That's where we're so different from other immigrants. We just can't give it up."

Effects on policy

Such views complicate any efforts to change immigration policy to make it easier for Mexicans to live and work in the U.S., and could even result in harsher migration measures, some analysts and lawmakers say.

The U.S. must avoid "balkanization" and has to maintain its national identity, common culture and common English language "or we will follow the path to the ash heap of history like the Roman Empire," said U.S. Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston.

"Arrogant nationalistic attitudes like this, which are blatant violations of American law, along with the uncontrolled mass migration and marching with Mexican flags have combined to push this country over the tipping point in favor of aggressive immigration law enforcement and strict border security," said Mr. Culberson, who has criticized White House immigration policy as lax.

Migration expert Jonathan Fox said there is a double standard on dual nationality in the U.S.

"I don't see them worrying about U.S. citizens fighting in the Israeli army. I don't see any concerns when they're fast-tracking for citizenship those foreigners who join the [U.S.] military. I don't see them asking that they burn their [original] passports," said Dr. Fox, a political science professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Dr. Fox calls the phenomenon of Mexicans striving to be members of both U.S. and Mexican societies "civic binationality." It is one of several practices that suggest immigrants are finding new ways to integrate into the U.S., he said.

Full members of society

Many Mexicans want to go from being "less than a full member of either society to a full member of both societies," he said.

There are an estimated 42 million Latinos in the U.S., almost 60 percent of them of Mexican descent. The Pew Hispanic Center in Washington estimates there are between 11.5 million and 12 million illegal immigrants in the country, a majority of them Mexican.

Under Mexican law, Mexicans naturalized in the U.S. may keep their Mexican citizenship. And for the first time this year, Mexico allowed its citizens abroad to vote in the country's presidential election.

In the U.S., the growth in the number and sophistication of associations that link immigrants to their hometowns in Mexico has helped the immigrants participate more fully in American civic life while maintaining close relationships with the mother country, experts said.

"The migrant organizations reflect broader changes in civic bi-nationality and also drive them," Dr. Fox said.

Some of these groups, such as the Binational Front of Indigenous Organizations, have binational membership structures, according to a report co-edited by Dr. Fox.

In some municipalities, immigrants who are not citizens participate in civic affairs, including elections – though not as voters.

Dr. Fox noted that in Los Angeles, noncitizens work the phones in efforts to get citizens to vote in local and state elections.

Why so few applicants?

Some critics have questioned why more legal permanent residents do not seek citizenship.

"That process already exists for legal immigrants who seek to be naturalized in the United States. However, if illegal aliens want this right, then I suggest they go back to their countries of origin and proceed through the lawful steps in order to reach that goal," said U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus.

Mr. Tancredo, a longtime immigration foe, said that even the notion of dual citizenship is "an oxymoron," and that being an American citizen means renouncing all prior allegiances and loyalties.

But the issue is not one of loyalty, said Paula Cruz Takash, a sociology professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.

"Anyone who understands that we have to be thinking about global citizenship will appreciate this notion of civic binationality," she said. "Any country that understands and encourages the acquisition of not just one other language but maybe others will be at an advantage as globalization goes ahead."

A majority of Latinos, 57 percent, believe immigrants have to speak English to be part of American society, according to Pew, while 41 percent say they do not.

Dr. Fox said many Mexicans do want to become citizens but added that American governments traditionally have done little to push naturalization. "If they cared, they would put billions of dollars on the table to help people get through the citizenship process," he said.

In North Texas, about 80 percent of the approximately 1.5 million Hispanics are of Mexican heritage, and there is no unanimity among them about keeping a foot in both the U.S. and Mexico.

Roberto Chavarría, 46, a Dallas businessman who arrived from Mexico when he was 14, says he has not really considered becoming a citizen.

"I don't think it is so easy to change to a citizenship one doesn't really feel," he said. "Very few do it with conviction; they do it for migratory reasons."

For Tereso Ortiz, an Oak Cliff resident who became an American citizen 10 years ago, duality is normal.

"We should practice American culture but not forget where we come from," said Mr. Ortiz, 57, who works as a butler. "I feel American, but I don't stop feeling Mexican."

In Chicago, Ms. Cantú-Dougala's bank sits right on the corner of 26th and Pulaski, and its clientele is overwhelmingly Hispanic.

"Lots of people who come here have been in this country 20, 30, 40 years and are not interested in giving up their Mexican citizenship," she said. "Even a lot of the kids that were born here want to speak Spanish and keep that Mexican-ness."

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said some in Mexico may "have visions of the North American Union ... where borders become less important."

"But I see zero support for that in the United States. I think our history and traditions are so strong, and our identity as unique people would never allow that to happen."

Staff writer Sudeep Reddy in Washington and Al Día staff writer Gustavo Martínez in Dallas contributed to this report.

E-mail lsamuels@dallasnews.com

http://www.fox11az.com/news/topstories/ ... be463.html

"We're never giving up our Mexican roots," said Maria Cantú-Dougala, assistant vice president of Second Federal Savings and an American citizen. "I still consider myself Mexican. That's where we're so different from other immigrants. We just can't give it up."

Well then pack your bags and move back to Mexico. You don't get to have your cake and eat it too, not anymore. If you want to be an American, then you assimilate properly. Otherwise, go back to Mexico and move your business there. There can be no room in America for hyphenated Americans or dual citizenship.

"We're never giving up our Mexican roots," said Maria Cantú-Dougala, assistant vice president of Second Federal Savings and an American citizen. "I still consider myself Mexican. That's where we're so different from other immigrants. We just can't give it up."

That's why you need to go back to mexico. As a matter of fact you need to leave today as in now!

If they are trying to provoke escalation they are doing a fine job...

The U.S. must avoid "balkanization" and has to maintain its national identity, common culture and common English language "or we will follow the path to the ash heap of history like the Roman Empire," said U.S. Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston.

"Arrogant nationalistic attitudes like this, which are blatant violations of American law, along with the uncontrolled mass migration and marching with Mexican flags have combined to push this country over the tipping point in favor of aggressive immigration law enforcement and strict border security," said Mr. Culberson, who has criticized White House immigration policy as lax.

Well said!

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Dr. Fox said many Mexicans do want to become citizens but added that American governments traditionally have done little to push naturalization.

Trust me Dr. Fox, there are plenty of legal applicants standing in line for U.S. naturalization, why should we advertise (push) for and encourage illegals to become naturalized citizens?

"If they cared, they would put billions of dollars on the table to help people get through the citizenship process," he said.

While we're at it why don't we also give them jobs, driver's licenses, in-state tuition rates, free medical care, etc. Oh, that's right, some states are already giving them those things - heck, the nation is giving them some of those things. Oh well, perhaps we should just give their children a free education, cost-free breakfast & lunches included. Hell, just come live in my house while you're at it and I'll supply the dinner meal, free of charge!!!


Mr. Fox's comments are absolutely ludicrous! Can you believe he said we would pony up billions of tax dollars to give citizenship to illegals if we really cared? This guy is definitely a few cans short of a sixpack or he hit a keg of Miller Light before giving the interview.

Give me, give me, give me! Hmmm....and they want EARNED citizenship too! You don't EARN anything by paying for it! That line of thinking doesn't even make logical sense. Maybe I can talk an olympic gold medalist out of his medal and then proceed to tell everyone I earned it. Yeah right, see how much sense that makes! There is plenty of evidence to suggest that many illegal immigrants have no interest in earning anything, especially citizenship, they just want it given to them. If they sincerely wanted to earn the right to be in the United States they would have followed the proper application procedures to gain lawful entry.

Enough of this mess, depot all illegals and stop this discussion before it goes any further.

"Anyone who understands that we have to be thinking about global citizenship will appreciate this notion of civic binationality," she said. "Any country that understands and encourages the acquisition of not just one other language but maybe others will be at an advantage as globalization goes ahead."

Therein lies the problem. Americans don't want "globalism" (coughfascismcough).

Over the years many have come legally and assimiated to American life.
Many do not forget the country they came from, some even speak the
language and eat the food of their old country but they all swear
allegiance to the United States of America. They have one country,
one flag, and one main language, English. We are not a people of one
race, food or culture; yet we are unitied by being United States citizens.
No to duel citizenship, no to open borders. We must stand up now to
protect our sovereignty, before it is to late and there will be no way to turn
back.
We should not be hiding in the shadows and letting of government do this
to us, for the sake of those who have fallen in battle before us, we need
to stand up now as proud United States Americans. Enough is Enough.

We're never giving up our Mexican roots," said Maria Cantú-Dougala, assistant vice president of Second Federal Savings and an American citizen. "I still consider myself Mexican. That's where we're so different from other immigrants. We just can't give it up."

There is the problem in a nutshell. We are not going to give up being Americans either, and you are on our turf.

Matthew 6:24
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.