Ruben, those who say that present waves of immigrants are no different than the prior ones that we assimilated are probably correct. What has changed is the attitude of large segments of our political, economic and academic elite. In the past, progressives and conservatives alike worked hard to encourage the assimilation of immigrants towards American culture, values, norms and institutions and held immigrants up to high standards. In contrast, current waves of immigrants are greeted by an American elite that promotes multiculturalism, ethno-identity grievance politics, a bloated, paternalistic welfare state and no desire to enforce the laws of the land. Rather than assimilate current waves of immigrants towards the uniquely American values of limited government, personal responsibility, economic freedom, equality of opportunity (as opposed to socialist equality of outcomes), they are using them to further their statist agenda.
