Conversations with Coleman What People Get Wrong About Birthright Citizenship
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Apr 6, 2026 
Linda Chavez, longtime public-policy figure and former Reagan White House official, reflects on her storied Washington career. She debates immigration policy, arguing for strong legal immigration alongside border enforcement. She defends assimilation and English instruction, critiques affirmative action, and explains why birthright citizenship is legally settled.
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Sheltering An Undocumented Immigrant Upended A Nomination
- Linda Chavez sheltered an undocumented Guatemalan woman in her home for about a year after being asked by a friend to help.
- She helped the woman find work, bus routes, driving lessons, and English classes, but the story surfaced during 2001 vetting and led Chavez to withdraw her Labor secretary nomination.
Bumped Into A Watergate Burglar In The Ladies Room
- Linda Chavez literally ran into a Watergate burglar in a restroom stairwell at the Watergate Hotel on June 17, 1972.
- She recognized him as Latino, saw his terrified reaction, and later was interviewed by the FBI after the burglary made headlines.
Assimilation And English Are Central To Immigrant Success
- Chavez argues immigration succeeds only when newcomers assimilate into American mainstream culture and learn English.
- She says children usually learn English quickly in school and that bilingualism requires first learning English, opposing early native-language immersion policies of the 1970s.
