By Steven Hsieh | Phoenix New Times
Arizona State Senator Sylvia Allen — speaking at a Republican event this month — expressed concern that the United States is “going to look like South American countries very quickly,” warning that new immigrants will not be able to “assimilate” at the rate that they are arriving.
Allen made her remarks during a July 15 event commemorating “Mormon Political Pioneers” at the Arizona Republican Party headquarters in Phoenix.
Phoenix New Times obtained audio of Allen’s comments on Thursday, the full version of which is posted at the bottom of this page. In a text message, Allen told New Times that her comments on assimilation were inspired by a study from a University of North Carolina professor.
“I said we needed to be able to control our immigration process so that we have time to assimilate people into our society and economic system. Jobs, housing, education, and health care,” she said. “Plus to be able to teach them about the American form of government. That’s all there was to it.”
Allen cited the same professor again in response to follow-up questions regarding her comments about South American countries, a reference she made to declining white birthrates, and a criticism of Democratic State Senator Martín Quezada.
During a rambling, 25-minute speech peppered with religious and autobiographical references, Allen expressed a worldview that the founding principles of the United States are under attack by feminists, secularists, and immigrants.
