But what if those new Americans had been helped to become U.S. citizens by local volunteers from the Federation of Republican Women, the Republican Men's Club or the local Republican central committee? What if Republican volunteers approached employers in their area and offered to set up English classes during lunch breaks or after work for immigrant workers, or distributed DVDs and videos with language and civics instruction? This type of volunteerism has been ceded to Democrat-leaning groups over the years. Is it any wonder that when these new citizens register to vote, their instinct is to support the party that they've come to know firsthand?
I can already hear objections from both immigrant advocates and critics. The immigration hard-liners will complain that any such efforts might end up helping people who are illegally in the United States, while immigrant advocates will warn that Republican volunteers could become a Trojan Horse to turn in those same illegal immigrants.
To the hard-liners I would say that unless you're part of the tiny minority that is willing to round up and deport every single illegal immigrant, along with their U.S. citizen offspring, wouldn't it be better for everyone if these people at least spoke English? What's more, we're not talking about government dollars going to this effort, but individual volunteerism.
To the advocates, I'd argue that getting to know individuals who are members of groups you think you despise is often the best antidote to prejudice. Besides which it's unlikely that the men and women who volunteer for this effort will be members of the local Minuteman chapter.
Republicans have nothing to lose by taking this approach -- and much to gain including the goodwill of those they've helped and their extended family members. But, it's not just the GOP that would become winners. Assimilating America's newest immigrants is a big challenge -- and all of us need to be part of the effort if we want America to thrive.