Why Can't Immigrants Learn English?
Immigrants who speak English earn more and are better accepted by Americans. But the U.S. fails to provide sufficient free English classes for newcomers.
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Immigrants who speak English earn more and are better accepted by Americans. But the U.S. fails to provide sufficient free English classes for newcomers.
Americans Say Immigrants Should Learn English. But U.S. Policy Makes That Hard. Olga Khazan © Kamil Krzaczynski / Getty “Speak English!” can be one of the cruelest things for an immigrant to hear. It can sound simultaneously like a demand for instant assimilation, an accusation of disloyalty, and a presumption of stubbornness or ignorance. In some circles, the call for immigrants to speak English has fused with a call for less immigration in general, as though language differences are themselves offensive. It’s no accident that “You have to speak English!” was a Do...