The two go hand-in-hand.
Dozens of millions of us, myself included, are descendants of legal immigrants who came to this, the blessed land of unprecedented *opportunity*, to seek freedom and a better life. That's the exquisite treasure of America .. that all the opportunities imaginable are available to those who legally come here to a free country for a *chance* at a better life than they had in the "old country." That it could be a reality was up to them.
And, as my family and millions of others have done and are doing, they were and are willing to work hard, sacrifice, stick together and help each other, and save to build a future in this free land for their children.
There were no "gifts" like food stamps, free health care, monthly housing and sustenance payments and MORE .. that immigrants expect today and that the politicians are all too willing to hand out (for potential votes), and for which WE pay. Now, somehow, they're "entitled" to get an American driver's license??
All the while, we're working around the clock to fight the WOT and to protect our borders from the evil that's been promised us, on alert every time the next "watch-listed" thug is suspected to have crossed over the Mexican border. Our Border Patrol have their hands tied, for fear of "offending" an illegal alien. It's utter craziness!!
God Bless my grandparents, on both sides, who came here legally, with nothing, and brought forth goodness from their goodness and sometimes brutally hard work and exhausting days, to America ... where opportunities abound for those brave enough to seek it and sturdy enough to work .. and work damn hard for it. Between both sides, they brought 12 American children into this world. I, and the succeeding family generations, are mighty proud of and grateful for their courage, self-sufficiency, perseverance and accomplishments. Because they earned it, we were lucky enough to be born Americans.