Abraham Lincoln believed that US citizenship is based not on ethnic or religious identity, but on the principles of the Declaration of Independence (White House)
According to ShareAmerica, all new citizens, regardless of race and ethnic origin, financial status, and how long ago their families arrived in the United States, enjoy the same set of rights and freedoms, privileges, and obligations as their fellow citizens. These are the right to vote, the right to freedom of speech, and the most fundamental right defined by the US Declaration of Independence as 'the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.'
The process of acquiring citizenship is crucial for further improving America's public life and economic growth. From September 30, 2013, over 650,000 people were naturalized in one year. It is possible that some of them will become Secretary of State, like Henry Kissinger (born in Germany) or Madeleine Albright (a native of Czechoslovakia).
America prides itself on its growing diversity. Once, most new citizens arrived in the United States from northern and western Europe. Today, over 4 million people from Latin America and 1.4 million people of Asian descent and from Pacific island nations have the right to citizenship.
Americans welcome new citizens from all corners of the globe because obtaining US citizenship does not depend on race, creed, or wealth. When Congress introduced the first nationwide naturalization rules back in 1790, no checks on ethnic or religious affiliation, literacy, or property ownership were required. They remain the same today.
On September 17, a government official at the oath-taking ceremony for new US citizens said these simple words to them: "This morning, when you walked into this room, you were citizens of China, Mexico, Iraq, and Ethiopia... But now you are all citizens of a new country, the United States. Welcome to our family."