America is not merely a geographic location.
It is an idea built upon liberty, constitutional government, individual responsibility, equal justice, self-government, courage, hard work, and the belief that human beings possess rights that the government did not create.
We welcome people who come here lawfully and genuinely seek to become Americans.
You do not have to be born American to become American.
That is one of the great freedoms of this country.
A person may be born somewhere else, come here lawfully, earn citizenship, embrace this nation, and become part of the American people.
We do not demand that anyone hate the land of their birth.
We do not demand that anyone abandon their family or forget their ancestry.
But when a person chooses American citizenship, they choose a new national identity.
We expect those who choose American citizenship to respect the Constitution, learn the language of the nation, understand its history, respect its laws, and embrace the civic culture that binds Americans together.
This is not hatred of another nation.
It is respect for the nation one has chosen to join.
Just as an American who chooses to permanently immigrate to another country should be expected to respect that country’s language, laws, history, and culture, those who choose America should respect ours.
America can welcome newcomers without surrendering its identity.
You do not have to be born here to become American. You have to choose to be an American.
If you stand with these words, share them!
