"If they do not want to learn English why did they bother to come here???? English should be the official language of the U.S. If they do not want to learn then they need to go home to their country.
"
Hmmm....if you're talking about the Hmong immigrants, it wasn't so much that they wanted to come here. They're refugees. Remember that pesky Vietnam war? We used Hmong tribesmen in Laos to do much of our fighting in Laos. They were a minority in that country, but were traditionally hunters and worked with us to fight the Communist forces.
After our withdrawal from Vietnam (that's the kindest words I have for what we did), the Hmong who had fought on our side had to flee or be killed.
We've been bringing them here to the US for quite some time. They are settling in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and near Fresno, CA, for the most part.
They're learning English, but it's tough on the old folks to learn a new language. Here in Minnesota, they're becoming truck farmers, working in retail shops, and doing all sorts of other jobs. The young people are doing fine with their English, but the people who are older...in fact the very people who fought on our side in Laos...are having a harder time with the language. They'll get there.
I have Hmong neighbors, just two doors down from my house in Saint Paul. Grandma and Grandpa don't speak much English...almost none in fact. Mom and Dad speak it pretty well. The kids? They don't even have an accent. That is the way it has always been.
You say they should all just speak English. I'm telling you that it isn't all that easy for older people.
Did they want to settle in the cold climes of Minnesota? I doubt it. Did they want to come to the USA? I'll bet they'd rather be living where they've traditionally lived, at least the oldsters.
As for our Hispanic immigrants, the same thing applies. You may have noted all the young Hispanic men who are serving in Iraq and who are earning their citizenship through their service. Well, their LEGAL parents still have an accent or have trouble with English.
How many languages do you speak?