Opinion: All immigrants need to ask themselves: Am I American or not?

To the editor: “Assimilation is a complex balancing act for immigrants,” reads the subheadline for this article in the print edition. But perhaps assimilation is not as complex as it seems. (“Trump wants immigrants to ‘share our values.’ They say assimilation is much more complex,” April 11)

Alex Espinoza, brought to the U.S. from Mexico as a 2-year-old, still carries a Mexican passport but appears to be professionally well established and settled in California. Mexicans in his native country pegged him as an American.

Karen, a 24-year-old student at Cal State Fullerton, is confused by what Hispanics and Americans tell her about where she is in her transformation from Mexican to American. She is told, “You are way too American,” or, “You are too Hispanic.” She says that if she were to go back to Mexico, “I wouldn’t have anything back there.”

Jim Chang says, “I realize that we don’t plan to return to live in Korea. We belong in California now.”

It seems that Alex, Karen and Jim will spend the rest of their lives in America. Their qualities of life are tied to the fortunes of the United States, and what happens in Mexico or Korea will not materially affect their lives in the United States favorably or adversely. To simplify this matter of assimilation, I’ll repeat the old saying, “Home is where your heart is.”

So I ask Alex, Karen and Jim: Where is your heart?

Rogelio Peña, Montebello

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To the editor: About 60 years ago I married into an immigrant family. My husband’s relatives had no trouble feeling part of the American fabric while maintaining their ethnic roots. My children married into Italian, Greek and Mexican families, and my grandchildren are closely connected to their ethnic roots.

Reading this article on assimilation, I wondered what the difference is between now and then. I suggest that instead of small clusters of same-origin immigrants, we now have huge communities with ever increasing populations. Assimilating is the hard task of the first generation.

The reality is that speaking with an accent identifies someone ethnically; those who do it may be judged. To expect it to be different is to deny the reality of human nature. But most of us, while noticing the difference, look beyond the accent to the whole person.

Marty Wilson, Whittier

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To the editor: My story differs from those of the three people in this article because I was born in the United States. I graduated high school and college here, attended graduate school and am a military veteran.

Given my background, I have always felt like a fully contributing member of American society, which includes adding a Chicano twist to my interactions and experiences over the years.

Thus, while President Trump has focused on the undocumented, his administration’s approach to immigration has impacted me. I have never felt so Mexican in my life, and now I need to remind myself that I am fully American.

Raul Solis, Upland

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To the editor: Stop using “assimilation,” which means abandoning one’s root culture to adopt a new country of residence, a racist subordination of newcomers.

The term “acculturation” is more appropriate for someone who retains the root culture while adapting to a new one.

Michael Haas, Los Angeles

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