This July 4th, here's how my family earned the right to be called ‘Americans'

Fox News

a day ago

I was born in India but made in America. My father, a proud Indian naval officer, gave up everything — his career, comfort and country — for a chance at the American Dream. He brought my mother, my brother and me to the United States with just $80 and a belief in the American Dream.
My father gave up everything — not to receive assistance or special treatment, but to pursue a future based on freedom and merit. He scrubbed toilets, worked night shifts and shared a home with my grandparents and relatives. My father never complained or requested handouts. He simply sought the opportunity to build a future through hard work and dignity.
My family followed the legal process. We filed paperwork, paid the required fees, attended government interviews, passed the citizenship exam and, ultimately, swore an oath of loyalty to the United States of America. That's the American way: not cutting the line or breaking the law but earning your place through sacrifice and assimilation.
Today, however, the American Dream is being redefined and undermined by those who treat it as an entitlement rather than an achievement.
The modern Democratic Party has turned legal immigration into a punchline, offering citizenship to those who circumvent the law. By blurring the line between legal and illegal, they betray the ideals they claim to uphold.
Not all immigrants are the same. Consider Albert Einstein, who fled Nazi persecution and changed the course of science. Elon Musk, who left South Africa, worked his way through school and helped revolutionize technology and space. Madeleine Albright, who escaped communist tyranny and became the first female United States Secretary of State. Each of these individuals earned their place in America through allegiance, contribution and sacrifice.
Contrast their legacy with that of Victor Martínez Hernández, who murdered Rachel Morin after multiple illegal entries into the country. Or Sebastian Zapeta Calil, who was accused of setting a woman on fire in a New York subway. Or Lina Maria Orovio Hernandez, who was accused of stealing more than $400,000 in taxpayer-funded benefits and illegally voting in the 2024 election. These are not the same stories, and the law must reflect that reality.
Millions of legal immigrants, like my family, followed the rules. We waited, worked and learned English. We assimilated. In contrast, under Democrats' broken border policies, millions entered the United States unlawfully — without documentation, vetting or any intention of becoming Americans in the fullest sense.
The threat is greater than most admit. We're facing an invasion of unvetted individuals — many of them fighting-aged men from China, Iran and violent regions of the Middle East. Human traffickers and cartels are ransoming, enslaving and assaulting women and children who trusted them to reach the U.S.
Democrats' open-border policies have fueled this black market of terror. This isn't just a failure — it's a national security crisis and a humanitarian disaster. And to those who say, "They're just here to work" — motives don't excuse breaking the law.
Desiring a better life is no excuse to break the law. Every illegal entry disregards those who pursued citizenship the right way. Rewarding such behavior — through sanctuary status, government benefits or expedited citizenship — sends a dangerous and deeply unjust message: that laws are optional, and that effort is irrelevant.
The consequences are real. Working-class Americans bear the cost — overcrowded hospitals and schools, higher housing prices and declining safety. This isn't compassion; it's injustice. The rhetoric of "equity" has been weaponized to build a new caste system — where legal immigrants and law-abiding citizens are pushed aside, while lawbreakers are elevated and subsidized. This isn't fairness. It's a grab for power.
I take pride in my Indian heritage — but I'm even prouder to be an American. Citizenship isn't just a status; it's a sacred commitment to defend the Constitution, uphold the law, and give more than you take. It means standing in line, abiding by the rules, and embracing both the duties and blessings of this country.
Because I embraced America, it embraced me. I became a lawyer, media commentator, served in national security and the Ohio Governor's Office, and became Ohio's first female sports agent — all thanks to a legal, merit-based system now under siege.
Democrats' open-border policies have fueled this black market of terror. This isn't just a failure — it's a national security crisis and a humanitarian disaster. And to those who say, "They're just here to work" — motives don't excuse breaking the law.
Legal immigrants across America are rejecting the left's false promises. In 2016, President Donald Trump won 36% of the legal immigrant vote. By 2024, it rose to 47%. Even CNN can't spin it. Why? Because we're tired of being ignored, disrespected, and erased. We won't stay silent as our story is co-opted.
This Independence Day, remember freedom isn't free and neither is citizenship. Both must be earned.
To every legal immigrant who followed the law: this country sees you, values you, and needs you. You're not a footnote in America's story. You're its backbone. We won't let that legacy be stolen.