Celebrity Citizens—And Traitors

Memo From Mexico, By Allan Wall

The Wall Street Journal approach to immigration and the National Question is to suppose that man is completely motivated by economics. Therefore, if immigrants to America can prosper materially, they will assimilate into our society and become loyal citizens.

But human beings are not simply economic automatons. They are cultural beings as well. It is entirely possible for immigrants to be successful economically and yet never identify with our country.

In fact, they can be wealthier than most Americans—and still feel alienated from American society.

Consider a few examples from the entertainment industry. Show-biz folks make tons of money. Does that necessarily mean they identify with our national culture?

Salma Hayek emigrated from Mexico to Hollywood in 1991—the same year I moved from the U.S. to Mexico. She is currently the biggest Latin movie star in Hollywood.

Yet Hayek whines about how Mexicans are treated in the U.S.A. Incredibly, she even claims she was treated badly, even though she emigrated to Hollywood as an already-rich Mexican!

Hayek has been quite happy to rake in the bucks from movies and Revlon endorsements. But as late as March of 2003, she didn’t see any need to become an American citizen.