Running Head: ASSIMILATION: AN IMMIGRANT’S
DUTY
1
Assimilation: An Immigrant’s Duty
ASSIMILATION: AN IMMIGRANT’S DUTY 2
Abstract
In America, as in other countries, immigrants immigrate with their own cultural identities, and
rarely, if at all, do they immediately assimilate to the culture of their host country. However,
assimilation does not mean that an immigrant must give up their own cultural identity in favor of
the cultural identity of their new home. Assimilation allows for the adoption of the new culture
while still retaining parts of the native culture; it does not require that the native culture be
abandoned. However, since the immigrant made the decision to move to the host country and
assume the benefits of residing there, it is the duty of the immigrant to assimilate into local
culture, which will have many positive effects, including the preservation of the host country’s
cultural identity, a reduction in terrorism and violence and more enriching life experiences for
the immigrant.
Keywords: immigration, immigrant, assimilation, culture, identity, host, native
ASSIMILATION: AN IMMIGRANT’S DUTY 3
In 2015, the United States reported that 1.38 million immigrants moved to the US, and in
2016, immigrants and their US-born children numbered 84.3 million, a whopping 27% of the
total population (Zong & Batlova, 2017, Current and Historical Numbers and Shares section,
para. 2-3). From its earliest days, America has welcomed immigrants, accepting the cultural
diversity they bring with them while providing bountiful opportunities for success, protection,
and freedom. According to Spalding (2006), assimilation is the “idea of acquiring certain habits
and attitudes while respecting other differences, of becoming similar in crucial but not all
respects,” not the destruction of ethnic identities and heritage (Patriotic Assimilation section,
para. 4). In America, as in other countries, immigrants bring their own cultural identities with
them when they migrate, and it can be difficult for them to reconcile the culture of their new
home with the culture of their old home. Despite the difficulty, immigrants have a duty to
assimilate into local culture, resulting in the preservation of the host country’s cultural identity, a
reduction in terrorism and violence and more positive life experiences for immigrants.
Immigrant assimilation into local culture contributes to the preservation of the host
country’s cultural identity. When immigrants refuse to assimilate, their culture threatens to
overtake the culture of their host country. Hispanic immigrants are an example of an immigrant
group that will not assimilate, thereby overtaking the culture of the areas they choose to inhabit.
According to Harvard professor Samuel P. Huntington,
The persistent inflow of Hispanic immigrants threatens to divide the United States
into two peoples, two cultures, and two languages. Unlike past immigrant groups,
Mexicans and other Latinos have not assimilated into mainstream American culture,
forming instead their own political and linguistic enclaves—from Los Angeles to
ASSIMILATION: AN IMMIGRANT’S DUTY 4
Miami--and rejecting the Anglo-Protestant values that built the American dream. (qtd. in
Levine, 2004, p. 1).
This phenomenon is currently taking place in Miami, Florida, where “Spanish is becoming the
predominant language, replacing English in everyday life. Anyone from Latin America could
feel at home on the streets without having to pronounce a single word in English” (Associated
Press, 2008, para. 5). In 2016, the United States Census Bureau reported that only 13.8% of the
population in Miami was non-Hispanic, and currently, Hispanics make up 67.7% of the
population (Race and Hispanic Origin section). The domination of Hispanic culture leaves
English speakers feeling marginalized and at a disadvantage, causing them to leave the area for
more English-friendly locales (Associated Press, 2008, para. 8). When natives flee the area to
seek their own American culture elsewhere, the foreign culture is allowed to dominate and
overtake the area. Once that happens, it is very difficult to bring the American culture back to
the area. The Bible recognized this possibility, as well, when it addressed the immigrant’s duty
to assimilate to the local culture. In Deuteronomy 16:9-15, the Lord establishes the Feast of
Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles for the Israelites, not only as religious observances but also
as civil laws, which required resident aliens--immigrants--to participate in these holidays (King
James Version). These immigrants owed a moral duty to their new country to obey its laws and
assimilate to its customs. Just as in ancient days, today’s immigrants have a duty to assimilate to
the local culture, not the other way around, to ensure the continued existence of the culture of the
country they chose to make their home.
When immigrants assimilate into the local culture, terrorism and violence are less likely
to occur. According to Franz (2015), younger immigrants who do not feel as though they are a
ASSIMILATION: AN IMMIGRANT’S DUTY 5
part of the community feel marginalized and can suffer an identity crisis, causing them to seek
other means of acceptance and can lead them to terrorist organizations who are able to exploit
their vulnerability and resentment to more easily recruit them (p. 19). That same cultural
division that threatens to overtake the existing culture also threatens to annihilate the host
country through terrorism and violence. According to Gonzalez (2017), “The Berlin terror attack
that capped an already bloody 2016 will only reinforce the view that allowing the existence of
parallel societies creates an environment in which radicals and recruiters thrive” (para. 5). Not
only was this seen in the 2016 Berlin terror attack, but it was also seen in the 2015 Paris terror
attack and the 2017 London terror attacks. In Europe, where Islamic terrorist attacks are more
frequent, Muslims are less likely to be assimilated into the culture than they are in the U.S.
Browne (2016) reports that “a 2007 Pew survey found that Muslims in America were only 2%
more likely to be lower-income than other Americans, while in Europe the numbers were in the
double-digits. And most in Europe were more likely to think of themselves as Muslims first
compared more than half who saw themselves as American first” (para. 28). By assimilating,
immigrants feel as though they belong in their host country, which makes them less likely to
enact violence on their new home.
Assimilation into the local culture results in more positive life experiences for
immigrants. By learning the language and culture of the host country, life is less stressful and
more rewarding for immigrants. Speaking the language is the easiest path to assimilation
because it facilitates communication, the bedrock of daily existence. According to Alexis de
Tocqueville, “The bond of language is perhaps the strongest and most lasting that can unite
men” (qtd. in Spalding, 2006, A Common Language section, para. 1). Without a language
ASSIMILATION: AN IMMIGRANT’S DUTY 6
barrier, it is easier for immigrants to make friends, find employment, understand and
communicate in everyday situations and participate in the election process. According to
Spalding (2006),
It is through their neighbors, friends and fellow countrymen--in local communities,
churches, schools and private organizations, not to mention in the workplace and through
simple economic exchanges—that immigrants acquire the habits, practices and spirit of
Americans, strengthening their virtues, their work ethic, and social responsibilities.
(Engaged Character-Forming Institutions section, para. 2).
Without learning the language and being able to effectively communicate, immigrants will feel
confused and isolated and miss out on much of what their new home has to offer. Additionally,
learning the culture and language of the host country puts less pressure and stress on immigrant
children. If older immigrants assimilate, the younger generation will not have to translate the
language or explain the customs and norms. When parents assimilate, their children will not be
forced to straddle two cultures, which can lead to confusion, stress and possible guilt for
assimilating and accepting the new culture when the older generation refused to do so. By
learning the local culture, attitudes of the people, and their everyday behavior, it will be easier
for the immigrant to fully and meaningfully participate in their new community.
While many believe that immigrants have a duty to assimilate into the local culture, some
argue that assimilation causes immigrants to lose their cultural identity. Skerry (2000) goes so
far as to state that “the assimilation of [immigrants] into the mainstream is an insidious process
that robs them of their history and self-esteem (para. 4). Opponents of assimilation fail to realize
that assimilation does not require an immigrant to give up his/her native culture in favor of a new
ASSIMILATION: AN IMMIGRANT’S DUTY 7
culture; it is possible to assimilate into a new culture, yet still retain the important parts of the
native culture. The U.S., for instance, advocates doing just that. At a naturalization ceremony in
Virginia in 2014, an employee of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services advised the
immigrants being naturalized to speak English, participate in the election process and conduct
themselves as responsible citizens but also stated that they could continue to speak their native
language, practice their own religion and honor their own cultural background (Gjelten, 2015,
para. 9). In today’s celebration of cultural diversity, immigrants are not expected to forgo their
own traditions; they are simply asked to assimilate into their new culture while still retaining
parts of their own native culture.
“Allegiance,” according to Spalding (2006), “is the duty that citizens owe to that country
which protects and secures their individual freedoms and fundamental rights” (National
Allegiance section, para. 1). By migrating to a country to take advantage of its freedoms,
protections and opportunities, immigrants have a duty to acknowledge and adopt the important
facets of the host country’s culture. Assimilation is a positive experience that results in the
preservation of the host country’s cultural identity, a reduction in terrorism and violence and
more positive life experiences for the immigrants. It is a win-win situation for both the
immigrant and the host country. If the immigrant expects the host country to look, feel and
sound exactly like his/her native country, then why did the immigrant migrate in the first place?
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References
Associated Press. (2008, May 29). In Miami, Spanish becoming primary language. NBC News.
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becoming-primary-language/#.Wiy33BQ9XvF
Browne, R. (2016, March 28). Why Europe has a bigger terror problem than the U.S. Cable
News Network. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/24/politics/europe-
terror- ash-carter-isis/index.html
Franz, B. (2015). Popjihadism: Why young European Muslims are joining the Islamic state.
Mediterranean Quarterly, 26(2), 5-20. doi:10.1215/10474552-2914484
Gjelten, T. (2015, Oct. 3). Should immigration require assimilation? The Atlantic. Retrieved
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Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.heritage.org/immigration/commentary/there-
better-way-help-immigrants-assimilate
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Spalding, M. (2006, March 16). Making citizens: the case for patriotic assimilation. The
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United States Census Bureau. U.S. Department of Commerce. (2016). Quick facts: Miami-
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Zong, J.& Batalova, J. (2017, March 8). Frequently requested statistics on immigrants and
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