Comedian Bill Maher addressed immigration on his show, emphasizing that immigrants need to embrace American culture and uphold principles such as gay rights, women’s equality, and free speech. Maher clarified that these are liberal values, not tied to race.
On his HBO show “Real Time,” Maher criticized both political parties for their extreme approaches to immigration. He stated, “If you want the American dream, you have to take the American values.” He also mentioned that America should continue to attract hardworking, talented immigrants from around the world, a practice he believes has somewhat changed.
Maher observed a shift in some immigrants’ attitudes, where they might resist adapting to Western standards, which he finds essential. Despite that, he acknowledged America’s flexibility in allowing people to celebrate their cultural backgrounds, provided they respect fundamental values.
“Honor killings, not letting women show their faces, polygamy, cousin marriage, female genital mutilation — there’s lots of stuff we don’t do here, and it’s non-negotiable,” he said.
Maher insisted these values are liberal, fought for, and not racist to advocate for them in the context of immigration.
Nicole Kreisberg, an assistant professor at Penn State, opposed Maher’s views, arguing the U.S. has historically expected immigrants to assimilate at the risk of facing discrimination. She pointed out that immigrants had to change their names, food preferences, and political leanings to fit in, often continuing to face discrimination based on race.
During his segment, Maher took issue with a progressive congressional candidate, Melissa Chaudhry, for not prioritizing LGBTQ+ rights, arguing that progressives may overlook oppressors due to discomfort with attacks on certain cultural attitudes.
Activist Linda Sarsour’s statement, “Our number one priority is our community. It is not to assimilate,” was also critiqued by Maher as contrary to the principle of immigration.
Concluding, Maher argued that his stance on immigrants respecting American values is not rooted in Islamophobia, but rather in preserving liberal values over illiberal ones.