Building an Americanization Movement for the Twenty-first Century: A Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on New Americans

Immigrants from all over the world have been drawn for centuries to the United States, and their contributions continue to strengthen this great nation. Enriching our national character, immigrants bring vitality and optimism to both our economy and society. A nation based not on ethnicity, race, religion, or culture, the United States of America is a country in which people from every background come together to govern themselves in a political framework inclusive of all. Americans have embraced the opportunities and met the challenges associated with each successive wave of immigration. Several recent factors point to the need for a concerted national effort to ensure the successful assimilation of our current wave of immigrants. Today’s immigrants are coming to the United States in record numbers, from diverse countries of origin, and some are settling in new gateway communities without long immigrant-receiving traditions. These trends warrant action from all sectors of society to foster the integration of immigrants into American civic culture. All of us have a vested interest in reengaging and preserving the fundamental civic principles and values that bind immigrants and citizens alike. The result of such efforts builds universal attachment to America’s core civic values, strengthens social and political cohesion, and will help the United States continue to prosper as a nation of immigrants bound by an enduring promise of freedom grounded in democracy, liberty, equal opportunity, and respect for the rule of law. Recognizing a historic opportunity to emphasize the importance of immigrant integration, on June 7, 2006, President George W. Bush created by executive order the Task Force on New Americans (Task Force). The Task Force brought together a wide variety of federal agencies to strengthen the efforts of federal, state, and local agencies to help legal immigrants embrace the common core of American civic culture, learn our common language, and fully become Americans. The efforts of the Task Force centered on the idea that assimilation is an opportunity to renew America’s political values and enrich communities by celebrating the bonds that unite us all. The Task Force was guided by two themes that have uniquely defined America’s immigration experience: Diversity within Unity: Diversity makes America strong, but unity keeps America successful. In advocating patriotic assimilation, the Task Force refers to a unifying civic identity that respects diversity, including individual religious and cultural traditions, but does not use these elements to define the identity of the political community. American identity is political and is composed of three key elements: 1) embracing the principles of American democracy; 2) identifying with U.S. history; and 3) communicating in English. Citizenship Is an Identity: Citizenship is an identity and not simply a benefit. Feeling and being perceived as part of the political community is an important indicator of a person’s integration into a society. As a result of roundtable discussions, site visits, and the collective experience and research of Task Force members, the Task Force on New Americans recommends strengthening assimilation efforts across the nation and among all sectors of society. The integration efforts described in this report are a federal call to action that defines a modern-day Americanization movement. The Task Force on New Americans calls for the following: 1. An Americanization Movement for the Twenty first Century, 2. Viewing Integration as a Two-way Street, 3. Improved Legislation on Integration and Citizenship, 4. Federal Celebration of Citizenship , 5. Federal Leadership on Integration, 6. Enhanced E-learning Tools for Adults, 7. Encouraging the Private Sector to Promote, Integration, 8. Mobilizing the Volunteer Community, 9. Increasing Integration Stakeholders, 10. Broadened Analysis and Evaluation of Integration.