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Should English be U.S.’s Official Language?

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    Immigration Attorney Alberto Cardenas, Jr. and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach on whether English should be made the official language and how i...

  • Duration 5:48
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Laying -- on the taxes senate whoever I Sanctuary Cities law.

Bill became contentious -- after a witness for the Austin immigration rights coalition immigrant rights coalition.

-- who's lived in the United States for more than twenty years.

Decided to speak Spanish before the committee.

I think you'll stay in the -- I don't know if you don't moment that you met with the general sentiment in Japan don't.

Statisticians terse language and is seen since his first time given testimony humor -- to -- -- Yes thank you.

These very himself because they're -- he's thinking okay working these these picking -- The senator reactor when he found out that the witness I had have been in the United States since 1988.

And -- understand why it was not addressing the committee.

In English so therefore.

State senator Chris -- drawn criticism for those comments.

-- but his office says there's no intention of having been derogatory.

And joining us now to talk about some of the issues and some of the solutions to our illegal immigration and border security crisis.

Our Alberto Cardenas -- here.

Attorney who's served as counsel to business interest affected.

By immigration laws also former General Counsel to senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson Chris -- he is the Kansas secretary of state co author of the Arizona immigration law.

Dorman thanks ring with a solid -- -- the executive director of the national immigration.

Form of supposed to be here but he Porsche -- have some problems getting to the studios.

And he will be -- and will -- assumption on the next round.

Good to have you both here let me and other -- -- with you first on -- Texas insurer.

The Texas representative here.

What in the world -- window witness who has lived in the country for 23 years speak in Spanish separately.

Well why would there be such -- you -- PCs sort of reflects on the national in the state media Texas media.

To a senator saying that he felt it was an insult for him to do so.

You know that those are two very good questions I don't have a clue as to why.

That was a selection other than what was transcribed in what was said there there at that hearing I will say this.

You know perhaps we need to -- your taxes look at how -- are conducted.

And those -- should have been spelled out before hand and you know.

Maybe that's what we should have done.

Should should we re talking about English as the official language English only in this country.

Because it's becoming it's insidious what is happening in this country in it is one of the problems I think one of the impediments.

Two moving -- rational effective humane.

Reform of our immigration laws.

Better -- effect.

I'd like you both.

There's a -- there there is a strand and obviously English.

Being our language of choice here are language of government our language and legal documents.

There's an understanding of course that other individual -- speak different languages but.

Business should be conducted in English.

When appropriate and in this particular case an incidence perhaps that should have been the case from the beginning.

What about what about bilingual education in schools from and this is becoming an immense.

Financial burden as well what -- what do you think Chris.

Well I think there are a number of issues -- -- what what you're talking about official English the English.

Business in government meetings.

Yeah I think the senator in in Texas he had.

A valid point maybe his tone was a little bit harsh and maybe it was little bit over the top to say he was -- -- But there's a valid point look -- our official meetings in this country are conducted in English.

And I think his second point was probably that hey this -- been here for 23 years.

There's something wrong with our assimilation process if the guy isn't ready to read his testimony in English from and -- my he was reading testimony so you think -- be able to read in English so.

A lot of Americans are frustrated when -- English language gets pushed aside.

Whether it be in this context or you know in the press one for English context on a phone service so.

I think this is part of a broader issue Europe.

-- -- -- the shift that you both think I'm going too far and I say this I think that if we got rid of press one for English.

And we conducted our businesses vote of seven English.

If we conduct ourselves and our schools are if we teach in English and we expect English as part of the assimilation.

I think -- -- -- removing and immense concern if not outright.

Rejection.

Of changing immigration law.

If we were to see Lowe's Home Depot -- other stores.

Varieties and telephone companies and get rid of that nonsense.

And go to English only and start coming together as one people.

Do you think that's over and overstating it but -- That's.

You know I don't -- -- get into what the economics of the situation are there corporations and businesses have the right.

To answer to those.

That obviously are bringing dollars and and and buying their products.

This is a free market and the minute we start as a government dictating.

The business is I think we've gone perhaps a little too far -- I will say -- look.

Do we need to have an understanding that English is our language that is our language of choice that is our language to conduct business in and that individuals were coming to this country.

Legally should.

Understand that language.

And have a respect for it.

You bet but should we negate the fact that individuals should be free to choose.

And speak in a free society I don't think that's what our founding fathers would've wanted.

And I don't think that's a direction we need to go in and I don't think that stifles immigration policy and the fix is we need and.