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The key word is assimilated. Most of the European immigrants came here for a better life and to get away from the problems they left. They assimilated and rejected the systems they left to make a better future for themselves and their children.

The reason that they assimilated is that there are cultural similarities among the Europeans that cut across traditional national boundaries. In fact, those boundaries have not always been where they are currently. Germany and Italy were unified in the late 1900's. Austria-Hungary was broken up in 1918. The United Kingdom is a union of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Some ethnic groups like the Latvians and Estonians have usually not had nation states. Today, there are smaller ethnic groups in the Baltic area who do not have nation states.

Our newest immigrants refuse to assimilate because they come here to work the system and have no respect for the ideals of the American dream. They reject the laws because they came here in defiance of the law and continue to have no respect for a nation that does not uphold their own laws.

Europeans who come to the US still assimilate pretty well. The phenomena you cite mostly applies to immigrants from Latin America, and especially Mexicans in the southwest. Second generation Americans from most other areas are pretty fully assimilated unless they observe some weird religious orthodoxy.

Middle and Upper class Latin Americans tend to assimilate as well, as most of European ancestry anyway. Jews held out for a long time, now even they are intermarrying 55-60% of the time. Some ethnic groups, such as Hindu Indians, have not yet fully assimilated through intermarriage, but have generally adapted themselves fairly well.

None of this changes the fact that most immigrants I meet from Asia and Eastern Europe are to the left of the average American...

"The phenomena you cite mostly applies to immigrants from Latin America, and especially Mexicans in the southwest. "

Unlike you, I live in the Southwest. Immigrants from Latin America generally assimilate, in following generations.

I have many friends who are second and later generations, and they are Americans first, ethnic heretige second. Just exactly like the descendants other immigrant groups.

I will concede that the large illegal immigrant population, appears to not assimilate. But I believe you are judging from the first generation.

My 2 cents worth.