Making for easier assimilation

That in turn will help create a more unified society where newcomers are participating politically, economically and socially, said Tomas Jimenez, a sociology professor at UC San Diego. Jimenez stressed that over time, immigrants do learn English and assimilate on their own. They integrate by going to college, advancing in their careers, moving to different neighborhoods and marrying outside their ethnic groups, he said.

Studies have shown that although Spanish is primarily spoken by first-generation immigrants, its use fades dramatically by the second and third generation.

"Immigrant integration is not something that takes place because a group of people suddenly decide they want to integrate," Jimenez said. "It's a gradual process, and it happens because people are pursuing their economic interests."

The new wave of integration programs are different from past efforts because officials are not pushing immigrants to give up their language or cultural traditions in order to learn English or embrace U.S. ideals, experts said.

The program is designed for legal immigrants, but undocumented immigrants can access the website and take English classes. Jenks of NumbersUSA said government funds shouldn't be used to help illegal immigrants.

"Any time an illegal immigrant comes in contact with the U.S. government, the result should be deportation," she said.

Over the last five years, Aguilar said, the United States has welcomed 5 million legal permanent residents and naturalized nearly 3 million new citizens. The U.S. established a Task Force on New Americans, published a Guide for New Immigrants booklet in multiple languages and started the website to provide basic information about healthcare, education and volunteer opportunities for immigrants.

The Office of Citizenship is holding regional training sessions for teachers and collaborating with community colleges, immigrant-rights groups and libraries to integrate immigrants and offer more civics and English courses. The task force also introduced a web-based training program last fall for teachers.

Recently at L.A. City College, Aguilar taught a civics class to a few dozen immigrants, primarily from Mexico and Central America. After a brief discussion of the Bill of Rights and the three branches of government, he encouraged the students to volunteer in their communities and continue studying about the U.S.