Yes , for multiple reasons The entire southwestern quarter of the country was annexed from Mexico in the 19 th century . This is also evident from the huge number of Spanish placenames in the region San Francisco , Los Angeles , Las Vegas , Santa Fe , etc . The Southwest ' s ' native ' Hispanic population is a minority compared to Anglophone settlers , but they still exist . The US borders the largest Spanishspeaking country in the world to the south , and is the most popular destination of migrants from throughout Latin America . Despite the everstrengthening border , there ' s no clear dividing line between ' Spanishspeaking America ' and ' EnglishSpeaking America ' numerous towns near the border in Texas are almost exclusively Spanishspeaking . The United States controls Puerto Rico , a US territory of millions of people , almost entirely Spanishspeaking . Spanish and English are coofficial in Puerto Rico .