Our Shared Responsibility

When U.S. immigration policy is at its best, it creates new Americans eager to contribute to our great country, strengthens our democracy, and fills critical gaps in the labor force, making us more competitive in the global economy. Naturalized citizens chose to be Americans. They choose our democracy, our freedoms, and our culture. Immigrants are as patriotic or more patriotic than native-born Americans. They enhance our communities, punch above their weight in economic terms, and enrich American culture and history.

Immigrants comprise less than 14% of our population but make up 17% of the U.S. labor force. The COVID-19 pandemic has spotlighted their contributions further. Nearly 30% of physicians in the United States are foreign born, as are more than 15% of registered nurses. And almost 17% of grocery-store workers, 18% of food-delivery drivers, and 19% of truck drivers are foreign born.

Naturalization is not just about the immigrants. It is about the contributions and vitality the United States gains each time an immigrant becomes a citizen. The United States should make it a priority to encourage immigrants to become Americans. The United States should make it a priority to encourage immigrants to become Americans, and all of us should work together to welcome them.