Earlier this week, President Donald Trump unveiled his new merit-based immigration plan. Part of the plan includes requiring immigrants to speak English, be financially stable and pass a civics exam. Naturally, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), had to come out and say the plan was somehow racist. She made the comments on Friday morning during an interview with CNN.
“There should be comprehensive immigration reform and not immigration reform that is based on exciting and inciting those people who have negative thoughts about others coming across our border and basically working to use that information to promote himself in a campaign,” Waters said. “And I think some of that is very racist. It is not keeping with what this country is supposed to be all about.”
And what did she take issue with the most? The fact that people had to learn English.
“This business about you must speak English, we're going to give you points for speaking English,” Waters said. “We don't want poor people, we only want those people who are earning substantial wages already. All of those things are not keeping in step with the way that we treat human beings.”
How is it racist to require people to speak English? When Americans go to other nations we are expected to assimilate and learn the country's language and culture. We are expected to know and respect the customs, yet when people come to America we don't demand the same from them. And why is that? Because people like Waters say "America is a melting pot" and part of being a melting pot means accepting people for their various cultures, backgrounds and customs. No one is asking anyone to compromise any of those things. What Trump is asking for is to have some sort of common ground. It makes it difficult when people can't communicate with one another because not everyone speaks English.
Democrats don't like the plan because it would alienate the very people who continually support them. Can't have that now, can we?