The left has always loved its chants.  “No Justice, No Peace.”  “Love Not Hate Makes America Great.”  “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot.”  These slogans are meant to bypass debate and lodge themselves in the public psyche.

Conservatives have often ceded this rhetorical battlefield.  But perhaps it’s time to answer in kind, with a phrase that captures the essence of America’s immigration dilemma: “Assimilate or You Must Repatriate.”

We have a crisis of assimilation.  America’s immigration system is not merely strained; it is failing.  Under President Biden, millions of migrants are estimated to have entered illegally, many funneled into sanctuary cities where they receive housing, food, and cash assistance.  What is missing is the expectation that has always defined the immigrant experience: assimilation.

Learning English, embracing American civic culture, and pledging allegiance to the Constitution are not optional extras; they are the very terms of the bargain.  Without them, immigration becomes not a source of strength, but a recipe for fragmentation.

Progressives often deflect criticism with the refrain “We’re all immigrants here.”  But this is a sleight of hand (in debate, a false framing of fact).  Every nation admits immigrants; the distinction is how those immigrants are expected to integrate.  America’s historic success was built on a common culture and shared values, not on the creation of isolated enclaves.

The beauty of America’s immigrant story lies in its deal: You may keep your faith, celebrate your traditions, and honor your heritage, but you must also join the American mainstream.  That means English, civic loyalty, and respect for the republic’s institutions.

History provides several lessons.  Consider the Vietnamese refugees who arrived after the fall of Saigon.  Within a generation, their children were excelling in schools and professions, becoming one of the most successful immigrant groups in the country.  They understood the deal: Assimilation was the path to prosperity.

Contrast that with the experience of many Arab and Muslim immigrants in both America and Europe, where cultural separatism and demands for accommodation have created tension.  The insistence on retaining incompatible political, legal, and religious frameworks risks dividing societies into factions, as seen in war‑torn regions abroad.   

Granted, we have many Arab and Muslim immigrants who demonstrate their fidelity to our way of life and are successful.  They have a double responsibility to speak up to those cultural brothers who are not assimilating and be the voice to condemn that as hurting all such immigrants.

The danger is not abstract, and the stakes for America are high.  Scandals like the billion‑dollar fraud in Minnesota’s social services programs tied to one of these groups highlight how cultural disconnection can metastasize into systemic abuse.  As citizens awaken to these realities, they will gravitate toward leaders who promise to restore order.  Nationalism, properly understood, is a healthy instinct — but history reminds us that it can be hijacked by unscrupulous figures if left unchecked.

America cannot and must not change its culture to accommodate others.  The obligation runs the other way.  Any faith or culture that respects pluralism and honors the Constitution is welcome.  But assimilation is a non‑negotiable.

That is why “Assimilate or Repatriate” resonates.  It is not a threat, but a stipulation — a reminder that America’s openness has always depended on unity.  Without assimilation, immigration ceases to be a blessing and becomes a fracture.

The time has come for policymakers, civic leaders, and ordinary citizens to insist on this bargain.  Immigration must be tied to assimilation, and assimilation must be enforced without apology.

America’s strength lies in its unity, and unity requires a common culture.  If we fail to demand it, we risk losing the very nation that has been a beacon to the world.

Lewis Dovland is a passionate observer of America’s future direction with a focus on exposing the “Big Picture” end goals of the progressive Marxist movement and administrative state and how we can prevail.  Email at Lewis.Dovland@gmail.com.

Image: Pashi via Pixabay, Pixabay License.