Last week, I had the privilege of speaking at Arkansas's naturalization oath ceremony in Little Rock. Watching the group be sworn in as American citizens was an inspiring moment for me, as well as the many other people in the room.

The newly minted citizens who were sworn in on Friday have shown an admirable level of dedication to this country, and they were rewarded for that dedication. We should always welcome those who want to come here and be productive and proud members of our communities, but that doesn't mean the process should be easy.

We are a Nation of immigrants, and for centuries immigrants have come here legally and fought tooth and nail for the title of American citizen. There is a type of indescribable pride that is associated with an accomplishment of that magnitude, and it's the type of pride that is handed down from generation-to-generation.

As a ninth-generation Arkansan, yesterday made me reflect on all the benefits and blessings bestowed on my family over the many generations and how lucky we are to have been born here.

The pride the first Americans in my family felt about this Nation upon earning citizenship still exists in our family today. And having stood by our newest citizens at this week’s ceremony and seeing the looks on their faces when they were taking the oath, I have no doubt their families will maintain a similar tradition of American pride for centuries to come.

Conversely, giving away citizenship without making an individual earn it runs the risk of losing that transgenerational feeling that has fueled this country since its beginnings.

Unfortunately, our President doesn’t feel the same way, and he is taking large steps to make the path toward citizenship as simple as crossing a border. I have not made it a mystery that I oppose the President's unconstitutional actions on immigration. However, I am willing to work with members of the House and Senate to fix our frustratingly broken immigration system that includes a plan that secures our border, stops illegal immigration, and rewards immigrants—like the ones sworn in on Friday—who put in the hard work required to obtain citizenship.

Sincerely,

Representative French Hill

Second District Cong. French Hill, R-Little Rock, announced his fourth winner of the Golden Fleece award, a “dishonor” he resurrected to bring attention to government waste.

This month, Hill is giving the award to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for wasting $104.4 million to support thousands of over-income families in public housing units throughout the United States.

Hill noted an Inspector General report that showed while families over the income threshold held inexpensive public housing for decades, eligible low-income families remained on public housing waiting lists.

In one case that was investigated, a four-person household in New York receiving an annual salary of nearly $500,000 — over seven times the amount of the low-income threshold — lives in taxpayer-subsidized public housing, while over 300,000 families sit on the waiting list, Hill noted.

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