Census Data Reveals That 1-in-12 New Mothers Speak Little or No English

Limited English proficiency rate is nearly double that of the general population

Recently released data from the Census finds that 8.2 percent of women who gave birth in the United States between 2000 and 2003 spoke English "not well" or "not at all," further underscoring the need for a policy regarding English learning for immigrants. The information derived from the American Community Survey found that the rate of severe limited English proficiency among new mothers is nearly double that of the overall population (4.2 percent) as found by Census 2000.

"This is a dangerous trend that has implications for future trouble for our united nation," said Mauro E. Mujica, Chairman of U.S. English, Inc. "The United States now has millions of children whose parents are unable to accomplish critical tasks such as childhood immunizations and enrollment in preschool. Before their first breath, these children are already behind the eight-ball. Without English, the odds will only continue to be stacked against them."

The first-ever analysis found that English language struggles among new mothers are evident in both traditional and new immigrant gateways. Nationwide, 1-in-12 children were born to women who spoke English "not well" or "not at all" nationwide, but six states had a rate of greater than 1-in-10. The clear leader was California, where 20.6 percent of the mothers who gave birth in this span were severely limited English proficient. Thirteen other states had percentages ranging from 5 to 10 percent, including several that are traditionally not associated with high immigration rates, such as Delaware, Georgia, Idaho and North Carolina.

"Our legislators and service providers would be wise to devise a system that combines basic English instruction with quality prenatal care," continued Mujica. "By combining these programs for expectant mothers, we would be doing what is best for two people preparing to go forth in America. If we fail to do so, we only prepare them both for a lifetime of struggles."

U.S. English, Inc. is the nation's oldest and largest non-partisan citizens' action group dedicated to preserving the unifying role of the English language in the United States. Founded in 1983 by the late Sen. S.I. Hayakawa of California, U.S. English, Inc. (www.usenglish.org) now has more than 1.8 million members.