Thread: CO: Americanizing new arrivals

Americanizing new arrivals
In an effort to break immigrants' hold on their old language and culture, the U.S. is launching a program today to more actively assimilate them.
By Bruce Finley
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 09/09/2008 12:59:19 AM MDT


Retired U.S. Postal Service clerk Sheila Jones will receive the President's Volunteer Service Award today for her devotion as a volunteer teacher of English to immigrants. Jones, seen Monday at a Korean shopping center in Aurora where some of her students work and own businesses, says, "If we Americans don't reach out to them, they'll stay in their own world." (Kathryn Scott Osler, The Denver Post )Foreign-language signs touting Spanish-language preschool, Vietnamese groceries, Ethiopian church services, Korean car repair and Russian money-exchange hint at Denver's fast-growing immigrant cocoons that nurture ties to the old country.

But the Bush administration worries that all those ways a new immigrant can get along in the U.S. while still holding on to their previous language and lives are keeping new citizens from fully embracing U.S. traditions.

In an effort to combat what Bush officials believe is a growing problem, the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Citizenship will today launch a new program designed to more adeptly welcome and assimilate new immigrants.

"We need to revive an Americanization movement for the 21st century," said Alfonso Aguilar, chief of the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Citizenship, who visits Denver this morning as part of the push.

Drawing immigrants into civic duties, while also celebrating diverse home cultures, is crucial for the United States to benefit from globalization, Aguilar said. "We'll gain a society that's united — in purpose and commitment to our democratic principles — which is essential for social and economic development."

At the Learning Source Center in Lakewood, a nonprofit group offering free or low-cost English and citizenship classes around the metro area, Aguilar plans to unveil new flashcards designed to inculcate concepts needed to pass a revamped citizenship test.

"What's the supreme law of the land?" "What does the Constitution do?" are among the questions the cards pose.

Starting Oct. 1, new citizens must demonstrate a grasp of self-government and principles such as freedom of religion, rule of law and separation of powers.

Federal officials today also will present a President's Volunteer Service Award to retired U.S. Postal Service clerk Sheila Jones, 61, a devoted volunteer English teacher. Volunteers like Jones are seen as linchpins in the push to prevent immigrants from remaining in foreign-language ethnic enclaves.

Many of those she teaches "are buying into" U.S. rights and responsibilities from voting to helping kids at school, said Jones, who over six years has taught hundreds of immigrants from around the world inside a conveniently located Baptist church.

"The ones that don't are afraid, and often that's because of language," she said. New immigrants "do keep to themselves. If we Americans don't reach out to them, they'll stay in their own world."

Colorado has emerged among a handful of "gateway states" — beyond old gateways in New York, California and Texas — where immigrant populations are growing fastest.

Business leaders contend the U.S. must do more to lure elite foreign doctoral students such as Abdulhadi Al-Mrabat, 34, of Libya, who at the Colorado School of Mines studies specialized engineering for oil production. Meanwhile, his wife, wearing a head scarf, and children study English at the Learning Source Center.

They'd love to be able to stay after he completes his doctorate — if a U.S. company can use his skills, Al-Mrabat said. "Give me permission, and I'll stay forever."

Others here illegally, some 12 million nationwide, do low wage work. The volunteer-driven English and citizenship courses the government is encouraging generally don't check legal status of immigrant students, Aguilar said. Americans focused on assimilation "shouldn't be doing enforcement."

Demographers project that by 2050 one in five residents nationwide will be foreign-born. The ratio in Denver is approaching that now. Just as Americans last century drew German, Italian and Irish newcomers toward a common national culture, they must do the same today in the face of a record-level influx, Aguilar said.

"We have to start doing it now. Twenty or 30 years down the road is going to be too late."

Bruce Finley: 303.954.1700 or bfinley@denverpost.com

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_10414131

Others here illegally, some 12 million nationwide, do low wage work. The volunteer-driven English and citizenship courses the government is encouraging generally don't check legal status of immigrant students, Aguilar said. Americans focused on assimilation "shouldn't be doing enforcement."

Demographers project that by 2050 one in five residents nationwide will be foreign-born. The ratio in Denver is approaching that now. Just as Americans last century drew German, Italian and Irish newcomers toward a common national culture, they must do the same today in the face of a record-level influx, Aguilar said.

THERE ARE 40,000,000 ILLEGALS INSTEAD OF 12,000,000.

NO MORE FREE WORLD OF AMERICA; REMEMBER THESE PEOPLE, STATING THE GIVE IN TO EVERYONE APPROACH TO OUR DESTRUCTION.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Oh we have many illegals! But the new fight which we must fight is legal immigration. Dear Lord Help Us!

The i-9's and the green cards are killing the jobs totally for Americans.

Where are the Americans working?

Hate or Love a country? Is the question?

http://tinyurl.com/5tv8k4

BALTIMORE -- A Snow Hill man will spend three years in prision for trying to bribe state and federal officals in a scheme that cluminated in raids on several Lower Shore businesses last fall.

Javed Iqbal, 40, was also given three years supervised release Tuesday for a racketeering conspiracy related to a scheme to bribe officials with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to illegally obtain green cards and the Maryland Comptroller's Office to receive abatement of state taxes, said officials from the U. S. Attorney for the District of Maryland.

REMEMBER THIS BECAUSE THIS IS THE LOOPHOLE... ALL FOREIGNERS WANT I-9'S AND GREEN CARDS AND ETC. THEN THE AMERICANS JOBS ARE THEIR'S LEGALLY AND THE BABIES PRODUCED ARE AMERICANS?

Others here illegally, some 12 million nationwide, do low wage work. The volunteer-driven English and citizenship courses the government is encouraging generally don't check legal status of immigrant students, Aguilar said. Americans focused on assimilation "shouldn't be doing enforcement."

Every law-abiding American should be doing the enforcement. They should be alerting ICE, turning in suspicious activities. Any country honoring American should be doing it.

But the Bush administration worries that all those ways a new immigrant can get along in the U.S. while still holding on to their previous language and lives are keeping new citizens from fully embracing U.S. traditions.

So, once again, is he talking about immigrants or ILLEGAL Immigrants??? Are people really that stupid to mix them up?

The volunteer-driven English and citizenship courses the government is encouraging generally don't check legal status of immigrant students, Aguilar said. Americans focused on assimilation "shouldn't be doing enforcement."

Man these people really are dense. Americans don't want to assimilate illegal aliens, we want them gone!!

"We need to revive an Americanization movement for the 21st century," said Alfonso Aguilar, chief of the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Citizenship, who visits Denver this morning as part of the push.
Drawing immigrants into civic duties, while also celebrating diverse home cultures, is crucial for the United States to benefit from globalization, Aguilar said. "We'll gain a society that's united — in purpose and commitment to our democratic principles — which is essential for social and economic development."

They came to America to celebrate what they left? Crucial?? Look who's doing the talking.
It's called 'fool Americans into more of the same'. Any which way you can!

The volunteer-driven English and citizenship courses the government is encouraging generally don't check legal status of immigrant students, Aguilar said. Americans focused on assimilation "shouldn't be doing enforcement."

Americans should be concerned whether immigrants are illegal or legal. Legal immigrants are required to become familiar with our laws and use English. Its nice that Americans volunteer their time to teach new immigrants. BUT THERE IS NO REASON TO WASTE TIME TRYING TO ASSIMILATE ILLEGAL ALIENS. THEY SHOULDNT BE HERE. DEPORT THEM!

Originally Posted by butterbean

The volunteer-driven English and citizenship courses the government is encouraging generally don't check legal status of immigrant students, Aguilar said. Americans focused on assimilation "shouldn't be doing enforcement."

Americans should be concerned whether immigrants are illegal or legal. Legal immigrants are required to become familiar with our laws and use English. Its nice that Americans volunteer their time to teach new immigrants. BUT THERE IS NO REASON TO WASTE TIME TRYING TO ASSIMILATE ILLEGAL ALIENS. THEY SHOULDNT BE HERE. DEPORT THEM!

True

Why would any U.S. citizen have to give their time to a law-breaking illegal alien? They're not even getting paid to educate them MOD EDIT! Pathetic.

Originally Posted by dep0rt

Why would any U.S. citizen have to give their time to a law-breaking illegal alien? They're not even getting paid to educate them MOD EDIT! Pathetic.

Hey, tell me how someone here illegally can sue us?????