[C]oncerns about English have … colored Americans’ reactions to immigrants from the days of Benjamin Franklin, and they remain an important element in the immigration debate today. These concerns are widely shared among native-born Americans and prove especially influential among Republicans. So don’t be surprised if proposals related to language, such as expanded English-language instruction, prove central in building legislation that can win support from Republicans and Democrats alike.
That’s from my new post over at the Washington Post’s Wonkblog.