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I am pretty bias here. Having been born and raised in a non-english speaking country, learning a second language was a requirement to obtain a college degree. After coming to the USA, I was able to transition to this culture much easier than many other immigrants I knew. I also taught for 8 years ESL to adult learners, emphasizing the importance of having English as the primary language in this country.

On the other hand, I think the United States has got away with not encouraging second language acquisition for most of the past century. In a global economy like today, most employers with transnational business focus should require a second language from their employees, especially if the job location is in a market outside of the US. Our own national demographics are changing so many employers consider a second language as an additional skill thus making a candidate more competitive. A second language pre-requisite will be appropiate if the job requires it due to geopolitical presence in a particular market outside.