Comedian Bill Maher asserted on his HBO show "Real Time" that immigrants seeking to come to the United States must be willing to embrace fundamental American values, describing these principles as liberal and non-negotiable.
Maher criticized what he perceives as differing approaches to immigration from both Democratic and Republican parties, stating, "If you want the American dream, you have to take the American values." He drew a distinction between what he called "Biden's policy of open doors, and then Trump's policy of broken windows," advocating instead for a return to a model where the U.S. attracts talented immigrants and integrates them.
He suggested that a shift has occurred in the attitude of some immigrants, who may no longer feel compelled to adapt to Western cultural norms. Maher characterized this sentiment as, "the melting pot? F--- you, you melt," while acknowledging that most immigrants still desire assimilation.
Maher emphasized that while immigrants are welcome to bring their own cultures, food, and languages, there are core tenets of Western civilization that are not open for negotiation. "But you have to answer one question: Do you like Western civilization? Because that’s what we are. And that’s not negotiable," he stated.
He listed practices such as honor killings, the subjugation of women, polygamy, and female genital mutilation as examples of beliefs incompatible with American society. Maher insisted that these are not exclusively "White values" but are liberal values that have been fought for and established. He argued that it is not racist to expect immigrants to uphold these fundamental rights as they contribute to the nation.
However, Nicole Kreisberg, an assistant professor at Penn State University's School of Public Policy, disagreed with Maher's framing. Kreisberg told Fox News Digital that historical American policy was more about assimilation than a "melting pot" and that immigrants have historically faced consequences for not conforming.
Kreisberg noted that throughout history, systems were in place to discourage a "melting pot" strategy, citing discrimination faced by immigrants who did not speak English and the pressure to adopt "American" names and customs to advance. She also pointed out that while historical European immigrants eventually assimilated and were racialized as "White," contemporary immigrants of color may face persistent discrimination regardless of their efforts to assimilate due to their skin tone.
Maher also addressed the issue of LGBTQ+ rights, asking the audience if they were considered non-negotiable values, which was met with applause. He specifically referenced congressional candidate Melissa Chaudhry, a progressive Democrat, who reportedly stated that her website did not mention LGBTQ+ issues because "a lot of Muslims do not feel that way, unfortunately." Maher condemned this, questioning if progressive policy now dictates throwing gay people aside when it conflicts with the comfort of certain Muslim communities.
He also countered activist Linda Sarsour's assertion that "our number one priority is our community. It is not to assimilate." Maher used a hypothetical scenario of moving to Japan and demanding changes to local customs to illustrate his point that immigrants cannot dictate terms upon arrival.
Concluding his argument, Maher dismissed accusations of Islamophobia, asserting that his stance is not about race or the demographic majority but about the preservation of liberal values against illiberal ones. "I care about liberal values being replaced by illiberal ones," he said.