Issues
Official English
Bilingual Education
English on the Job
Citizenship and
   Immigration
Bilingual Ballots
Puerto Rican
    Statehood
Ending E.O. 13166,
   the "Multilingual
   Mandate"

Contact us:
1601 N. Kent St.
Suite 1100
Arlington, VA
22209
ph: (703) 816-8821
fax: (571) 527-2813

ARLINGTON, VA - By more than a 2-1 margin, 60 percent to 26 percent, Americans say Congress and the president are not doing enough to defend English's historic role as the unifying language of the United States. And 78 percent think that the government should do more to help immigrants learn English. These were some of the findings of a recent poll by Zogby International for ProEnglish, an Arlington, Va.-based organization that advocates for making English the official language.

ProEnglish Executive Director K.C. McAlpin said, "The survey also found that while an overwhelming 92 percent of voters agree that preserving English as our common language is important to maintaining our unity as a nation, a very large number - 69 percent - are worried the United States is at risk of becoming 'disunited' by language."

McAlpin continued, "In view of these findings the question is why are Congress and the president ignoring the desire of the American people to protect their nation's historic unity in the English language? Two different national polls conducted last year found public support for making English our official language at a remarkably consistent 84 percent and 85 percent respectively," he said. "There is hardly another issue in sight that commands such a high level of support from all segments of American society."

McAlpin added, "The fact that so many Americans agree that government should play a more active role in helping immigrants learn English is encouraging." He continued, "This is truly a win-win proposition because if we make English our official language and help immigrants learn the language, the government would strengthen our country economically as well as politically, and help allay public concern that our common culture is being undermined by mass immigration."

"If the new Congress and the president are sincere about their desire to enact truly 'comprehensive' immigration reform this year, they have no excuse for not making English our official language. We will be watching to make sure they live up to their words," McAlpin said.

The Zogby poll of 1,019 likely voters was conducted December 12 - 14, 2006. The margin of sampling error is +/-3.1 percent (higher in sub-groups).