Obama: Immigration ‘Is Part of What Makes Us Exceptional’

The President Thank you ░░░░░░░░ have a seat Thank ░░░░░░░░ Well good morning everybody ░░░░░░░░ members Good morning The ░░░░░░░░ Thank you Deputy Secretary ░░░░░░░░ Judge Roberts Director Rodriguez ░░░░░░░░ you to our Archivist ░░░░░░░░ Ferriero and everyone at ░░░░░░░░ National Archives for hosting ░░░░░░░░ here today in this ░░░░░░░░ setting And to my ░░░░░░░░ Americans our newest citizens ░░░░░░░░ m so excited Laughter ░░░░░░░░ are men and women ░░░░░░░░ more than 25 countries ░░░░░░░░ Brazil to Uganda from ░░░░░░░░ to the Philippines You ░░░░░░░░ come from teeming cities ░░░░░░░░ rural villages You don ░░░░░░░░ look alike You don ░░░░░░░░ worship the same way ░░░░░░░░ here surrounded by the ░░░░░░░░ documents whose values bind ░░░░░░░░ together as one people ░░░░░░░░ ve raised your hand ░░░░░░░░ sworn a sacred oath ░░░░░░░░ m proud to be ░░░░░░░░ the first to greet ░░░░░░░░ as my fellow Americans ░░░░░░░░ a remarkable journey all ░░░░░░░░ you have made And ░░░░░░░░ of today your story ░░░░░░░░ forever woven into the ░░░░░░░░ story of this Nation ░░░░░░░░ the brief time that ░░░░░░░░ have together I want ░░░░░░░░ share that story with ░░░░░░░░ Because even as you ░░░░░░░░ put in the work ░░░░░░░░ to become a citizen ░░░░░░░░ still have a demanding ░░░░░░░░ rewarding task ahead of ░░░░░░░░ and that is the ░░░░░░░░ work of active citizenship ░░░░░░░░ have rights and you ░░░░░░░░ responsibilities And now you ░░░░░░░░ to help us write ░░░░░░░░ next great chapter in ░░░░░░░░ s story Just about ░░░░░░░░ nation in the world ░░░░░░░░ some extent admits immigrants ░░░░░░░░ there s something unique ░░░░░░░░ America We don t ░░░░░░░░ welcome new immigrants we ░░░░░░░░ t simply welcome new ░░░░░░░░ we are born of ░░░░░░░░ That is who we ░░░░░░░░ Immigration is our origin ░░░░░░░░ And for more than ░░░░░░░░ centuries it s remained ░░░░░░░░ the core of our ░░░░░░░░ character It s our ░░░░░░░░ tradition It s who ░░░░░░░░ are It s part ░░░░░░░░ what makes us exceptional ░░░░░░░░ all unless your family ░░░░░░░░ Native American one of ░░░░░░░░ First Americans our families ░░░░░░░░ of our families come ░░░░░░░░ someplace else The first ░░░░░░░░ were the Pilgrims themselves ░░░░░░░░ religious persecution crossing the ░░░░░░░░ Atlantic to reach a ░░░░░░░░ world where they might ░░░░░░░░ and pray freely Eight ░░░░░░░░ of the Declaration of ░░░░░░░░ were immigrants And in ░░░░░░░░ first decades after independence ░░░░░░░░ German and Scottish immigrants ░░░░░░░░ over huddled on creaky ░░░░░░░░ seeking what Thomas Paine ░░░░░░░░ asylum for the persecuted ░░░░░░░░ of civil and religious ░░░░░░░░ Down through the decades ░░░░░░░░ Catholics fleeing hunger Italians ░░░░░░░░ poverty filled up our ░░░░░░░░ rolled up their sleeves ░░░░░░░░ America Chinese laborers jammed ░░░░░░░░ steerage under the decks ░░░░░░░░ steamships making their way ░░░░░░░░ California to build the ░░░░░░░░ Pacific Railroad that would ░░░░░░░░ the West and our ░░░░░░░░ Wave after wave of ░░░░░░░░ women and children from ░░░░░░░░ Middle East and the ░░░░░░░░ from Asia and Africa ░░░░░░░░ into Ellis Island or ░░░░░░░░ Island their trunks bursting ░░░░░░░░ their most cherished possessions ░░░░░░░░ a photograph of the ░░░░░░░░ they left behind a ░░░░░░░░ Bible or a Torah ░░░░░░░░ a Koran a bag ░░░░░░░░ one hand maybe a ░░░░░░░░ in the other standing ░░░░░░░░ hours in long lines ░░░░░░░░ York and cities across ░░░░░░░░ were transformed into a ░░░░░░░░ of global fashion show ░░░░░░░░ had Dutch lace caps ░░░░░░░░ the North African fezzes ░░░░░░░░ tweed suits colorful Caribbean ░░░░░░░░ And perhaps like some ░░░░░░░░ you these new arrivals ░░░░░░░░ have had some moments ░░░░░░░░ doubt wondering if they ░░░░░░░░ made a mistake in ░░░░░░░░ everything and everyone they ░░░░░░░░ knew behind So life ░░░░░░░░ America was not always ░░░░░░░░ It wasn t always ░░░░░░░░ for new immigrants Certainly ░░░░░░░░ wasn t easy for ░░░░░░░░ of African heritage who ░░░░░░░░ not come here voluntarily ░░░░░░░░ yet in their own ░░░░░░░░ were immigrants themselves There ░░░░░░░░ discrimination and hardship and ░░░░░░░░ But like you they ░░░░░░░░ doubt found inspiration in ░░░░░░░░ those who had come ░░░░░░░░ them And they were ░░░░░░░░ to muster faith that ░░░░░░░░ in America they might ░░░░░░░░ a better life and ░░░░░░░░ their children something more ░░░░░░░░ as so many have ░░░░░░░░ here in search of ░░░░░░░░ dream others sought shelter ░░░░░░░░ nightmares survivors of the ░░░░░░░░ Soviet refuseniks refugees from ░░░░░░░░ Laos Cambodia Iraqis and ░░░░░░░░ fleeing war Mexicans Cubans ░░░░░░░░ leaving behind deadly revolutions ░░░░░░░░ American teenagers running from ░░░░░░░░ violence the Lost Boys ░░░░░░░░ Sudan escaping Civil War ░░░░░░░░ re people like Fulbert ░░░░░░░░ Akoula from the Republic ░░░░░░░░ Congo who was granted ░░░░░░░░ when his family was ░░░░░░░░ by political violence And ░░░░░░░░ Fulbert is here a ░░░░░░░░ American We can never ░░░░░░░░ it often or loudly ░░░░░░░░ Immigrants and refugees revitalize ░░░░░░░░ renew America Immigrants like ░░░░░░░░ are more likely to ░░░░░░░░ your own business Many ░░░░░░░░ the Fortune 500 companies ░░░░░░░░ this country were founded ░░░░░░░░ immigrants or their children ░░░░░░░░ of the tech startups ░░░░░░░░ Silicon Valley have at ░░░░░░░░ one immigrant founder Immigrants ░░░░░░░░ the teachers who inspire ░░░░░░░░ children and they re ░░░░░░░░ doctors who keep us ░░░░░░░░ They re the engineers ░░░░░░░░ design our skylines and ░░░░░░░░ artists and the entertainers ░░░░░░░░ touch our hearts Immigrants ░░░░░░░░ soldiers sailors airmen marines ░░░░░░░░ who protect us often ░░░░░░░░ their lives for an ░░░░░░░░ that isn t even ░░░░░░░░ own yet As an ░░░░░░░░ Muhanned Ibrahim Al Naib ░░░░░░░░ the target of death ░░░░░░░░ for working with American ░░░░░░░░ He stood by his ░░░░░░░░ comrades and came to ░░░░░░░░ U S as a ░░░░░░░░ And today we stand ░░░░░░░░ him And we are ░░░░░░░░ to welcome Muhanned as ░░░░░░░░ citizen of the country ░░░░░░░░ he already helped to ░░░░░░░░ We celebrate this history ░░░░░░░░ heritage as an immigrant ░░░░░░░░ And we should be ░░░░░░░░ enough to acknowledge as ░░░░░░░░ as it may be ░░░░░░░░ we haven t always ░░░░░░░░ up to our own ░░░░░░░░ We haven t always ░░░░░░░░ up to these documents ░░░░░░░░ the start Africans were ░░░░░░░░ here in chains against ░░░░░░░░ will and then toiled ░░░░░░░░ the whip They also ░░░░░░░░ America A century ago ░░░░░░░░ York City shops displayed ░░░░░░░░ signs No Irish Need ░░░░░░░░ Catholics were targeted their ░░░░░░░░ questioned so much so ░░░░░░░░ as recently as the ░░░░░░░░ and sixties when JFK ░░░░░░░░ to run he had ░░░░░░░░ convince people that his ░░░░░░░░ wasn t primarily to ░░░░░░░░ Pope Chinese immigrants faced ░░░░░░░░ and vicious stereotypes and ░░░░░░░░ for a time even ░░░░░░░░ from entering America During ░░░░░░░░ War II German and ░░░░░░░░ residents were detained and ░░░░░░░░ one of the darkest ░░░░░░░░ in our history Japanese ░░░░░░░░ and even Japanese American ░░░░░░░░ were forced from their ░░░░░░░░ and imprisoned in camps ░░░░░░░░ succumbed to fear We ░░░░░░░░ not only our fellow ░░░░░░░░ but our deepest values ░░░░░░░░ betrayed these documents It ░░░░░░░░ happened before And the ░░░░░░░░ irony of course was ░░░░░░░░ that those who betrayed ░░░░░░░░ values were themselves the ░░░░░░░░ of immigrants How quickly ░░░░░░░░ forget One generation passes ░░░░░░░░ generation passes and suddenly ░░░░░░░░ don t remember where ░░░░░░░░ came from And we ░░░░░░░░ that somehow there is ░░░░░░░░ and there is them ░░░░░░░░ remembering we used to ░░░░░░░░ them On days like ░░░░░░░░ we need to resolve ░░░░░░░░ to repeat mistakes like ░░░░░░░░ again We must resolve ░░░░░░░░ always speak out against ░░░░░░░░ and bigotry in all ░░░░░░░░ its forms whether taunts ░░░░░░░░ the child of an ░░░░░░░░ farmworker or threats against ░░░░░░░░ Muslim shopkeeper We are ░░░░░░░░ Standing up for each ░░░░░░░░ is what the values ░░░░░░░░ in the documents in ░░░░░░░░ room compels us to ░░░░░░░░ especially when it s ░░░░░░░░ especially when it s ░░░░░░░░ convenient That s when ░░░░░░░░ counts That s when ░░░░░░░░ matters not when things ░░░░░░░░ easy but when things ░░░░░░░░ hard The truth is ░░░░░░░░ an American is hard ░░░░░░░░ part of a democratic ░░░░░░░░ is hard Being a ░░░░░░░░ is hard It is ░░░░░░░░ challenge It s supposed ░░░░░░░░ be There s no ░░░░░░░░ from our ideals All ░░░░░░░░ us are called to ░░░░░░░░ up to our expectations ░░░░░░░░ ourselves not just when ░░░░░░░░ s convenient but when ░░░░░░░░ s inconvenient when it ░░░░░░░░ tough when we re ░░░░░░░░ The tension throughout our ░░░░░░░░ between welcoming or rejecting ░░░░░░░░ stranger it s about ░░░░░░░░ than just immigration It ░░░░░░░░ about the meaning of ░░░░░░░░ what kind of country ░░░░░░░░ we want to be ░░░░░░░░ s about the capacity ░░░░░░░░ each generation to honor ░░░░░░░░ creed as old as ░░░░░░░░ founding E pluribus unum ░░░░░░░░ out of many we ░░░░░░░░ one Scripture tells us ░░░░░░░░ we are strangers before ░░░░░░░░ and sojourners as were ░░░░░░░░ our fathers We are ░░░░░░░░ before you In the ░░░░░░░░ immigrant today we see ░░░░░░░░ Catholic immigrant of a ░░░░░░░░ ago In the Syrian ░░░░░░░░ refuge today we should ░░░░░░░░ the Jewish refugee of ░░░░░░░░ War II In these ░░░░░░░░ Americans we see our ░░░░░░░░ American stories our parents ░░░░░░░░ grandparents our aunts our ░░░░░░░░ our cousins who packed ░░░░░░░░ what they could and ░░░░░░░░ together what they had ░░░░░░░░ their paperwork wasn t ░░░░░░░░ in order And they ░░░░░░░░ out for a place ░░░░░░░░ was more than just ░░░░░░░░ piece of land but ░░░░░░░░ idea America a place ░░░░░░░░ we can be a ░░░░░░░░ of something bigger A ░░░░░░░░ where we can contribute ░░░░░░░░ talents and fulfill our ░░░░░░░░ and secure new opportunity ░░░░░░░░ ourselves and for others ░░░░░░░░ place where we can ░░░░░░░░ pride in our heritage ░░░░░░░░ where we recognize that ░░░░░░░░ have a common creed ░░░░░░░░ loyalty to these documents ░░░░░░░░ loyalty to our democracy ░░░░░░░░ we can criticize our ░░░░░░░░ but understand that we ░░░░░░░░ it where we agree ░░░░░░░░ live together even when ░░░░░░░░ don t agree with ░░░░░░░░ other where we work ░░░░░░░░ the democratic process and ░░░░░░░░ through violence or sectarianism ░░░░░░░░ resolve disputes where we ░░░░░░░░ side by side as ░░░░░░░░ and where our children ░░░░░░░░ themselves to be a ░░░░░░░░ of this Nation no ░░░░░░░░ strangers but the bedrock ░░░░░░░░ this Nation the essence ░░░░░░░░ this Nation And that ░░░░░░░░ why today is not ░░░░░░░░ final step in your ░░░░░░░░ More than 60 years ░░░░░░░░ at a ceremony like ░░░░░░░░ one Senator John F ░░░░░░░░ said No form of ░░░░░░░░ requires more of its ░░░░░░░░ than does the American ░░░░░░░░ Our system of self ░░░░░░░░ depends on ordinary citizens ░░░░░░░░ the hard frustrating but ░░░░░░░░ essential work of citizenship ░░░░░░░░ being informed of understanding ░░░░░░░░ the Government isn t ░░░░░░░░ distant thing but is ░░░░░░░░ of speaking out when ░░░░░░░░ is not right of ░░░░░░░░ fellow citizens when they ░░░░░░░░ a hand of coming ░░░░░░░░ to shape our country ░░░░░░░░ course And that work ░░░░░░░░ purpose to every generation ░░░░░░░░ belongs to me It ░░░░░░░░ to the judge It ░░░░░░░░ to you It belongs ░░░░░░░░ you all of us ░░░░░░░░ citizens to follow our ░░░░░░░░ yes but also to ░░░░░░░░ with your communities and ░░░░░░░░ speak up for what ░░░░░░░░ believe in and to ░░░░░░░░ to not only exercise ░░░░░░░░ rights that are now ░░░░░░░░ but to stand up ░░░░░░░░ the rights of others ░░░░░░░░ Gudeya is here from ░░░░░░░░ She said The joy ░░░░░░░░ being an American is ░░░░░░░░ joy of freedom and ░░░░░░░░ We have been handed ░░░░░░░░ work in progress one ░░░░░░░░ can evolve for the ░░░░░░░░ of all Americans I ░░░░░░░░ t have said it ░░░░░░░░ That is what makes ░░░░░░░░ great not just the ░░░░░░░░ on these founding documents ░░░░░░░░ precious and valuable as ░░░░░░░░ are but the progress ░░░░░░░░ they ve inspired If ░░░░░░░░ ever wonder whether America ░░░░░░░░ big enough to hold ░░░░░░░░ strong enough to withstand ░░░░░░░░ forces of change brave ░░░░░░░░ to live up to ░░░░░░░░ ideals even in times ░░░░░░░░ trial then look to ░░░░░░░░ generations of ordinary citizens ░░░░░░░░ have proven again and ░░░░░░░░ that we are worthy ░░░░░░░░ that That s our ░░░░░░░░ inheritance what ordinary people ░░░░░░░░ done to build this ░░░░░░░░ and make these words ░░░░░░░░ And it s our ░░░░░░░░ s task to follow ░░░░░░░░ example in this journey ░░░░░░░░ keep building an America ░░░░░░░░ no matter who we ░░░░░░░░ or what we look ░░░░░░░░ or who we love ░░░░░░░░ what we believe we ░░░░░░░░ make of our lives ░░░░░░░░ we will You will ░░░░░░░░ and should not forget ░░░░░░░░ history and your past ░░░░░░░░ adds to the richness ░░░░░░░░ American life But you ░░░░░░░░ now American You ve ░░░░░░░░ obligations as citizens And ░░░░░░░░ m absolutely confident you ░░░░░░░░ meet them You ll ░░░░░░░░ a good example for ░░░░░░░░ of us because you ░░░░░░░░ how precious this thing ░░░░░░░░ It s not something ░░░░░░░░ take for granted It ░░░░░░░░ something to cherish and ░░░░░░░░ fight for Thank you ░░░░░░░░ God bless you May ░░░░░░░░ bless the United States ░░░░░░░░ America.