That study focuses solely on monolingual German communities from Wisconsin. Although their data is novel, especially the use of church and school records as a cross-reference for bilingualism, I wonder if their outcomes are generalizable. Nevertheless, the pattern is consonant with other
research indicating a greater proficiency with English among contemporary immigrants. So when conservatives claim that the current wave of immigration is unique, they are correct, albeit unwittingly. Immigrants are acculturating with greater expediency than previous generations.
As for the causes, I could only speculate. Perhaps there are more resources to facilitate integration as el retorno
postulated. But that could only be part of the explanation. Latinos might constitute the majority of new immigrants, but there are many from Asia, too. And Latino immigrants acculturate linguistically at a slower
pace than other immigrant groups. That's partially a result of Asian immigrants being better educated upon arrival. But I think the broader cause is a shift in immigration patterns because of employment incentives. Immigrants fill employment niches that disperse them around the country. Whereas previous generations of immigrants congregated in urban enclaves in gateway states, contemporary immigrants increasingly settle in the Midwest and Southeast. The insular urban communities of previous generations
inhibited integration and English proficiency. But immigrants now enjoy employment opportunities in agriculture, construction, food service, and hospitality that disperse them throughout more diverse communities. However, I could be wildly wrong, so I'd be interested in any research on the topic.Apropos to our discussion, Fareed Zakaria
discussed the folly of intervening to compel a negotiated a settlement. And I think the mistake would be graver given the nature of the conflict.