Skip to content
Who's in the Video
Bob Menendez grew up the son of immigrants in a tenement building in Union City. A product of New Jersey's public schools and a graduate of the state's universities, he[…]
Sign up for Big Think on Substack
The most surprising and impactful new stories delivered to your inbox every week, for free.

“We cannot afford any more of the illiterates they are sending to our shores.”

Question: How do we decide who can become an American?

Robert Menendez: Those who, in my mind, believe in what America is all about, and are willing to work for it and fight for it; who believe in the very essence of our principles of democracy – the rule of law; who believe in opportunity, but also in hard work and sacrifice to make that opportunity a possibility for them individually; who believe that ultimately the promise of America is not to be horded by a few, but to be shared by all of us who are . . . who call America our home. And so I believe it is those who believe in . . . and in their own lives from however humble to however powerful, live that American creed. I believe those are the true Americans.

 

 

 


Related