[We need] to choose immigrants based on merit. Merit…

[We need to ] select immigrants based on their likelihood of success in U.S. society and their ability to be financially self- sufficient.

— Donald Trump

These guidelines contemplate a policy that will grant special benefits to illegal immigrants based on their unlawful presence in the country.

— Mike Lee

I appreciate having been promoted for merit, on merit. And then bringing to bear whatever those extra special characteristics that all of us have.

— Kellyanne Conway

The world more often rewards the appearances of merit than merit itself.

— Francois de La Rochefoucauld

“The world more often rewards outward signs of merit than merit itself.”

— Anonymous

Since I have difficulty defining merit and what merit alone means - and in any context, whether it's judicial or otherwise - I accept…

— Sonia Sotomayor

The world more often rewards the appearance of merit than merit itself.

— Francois La Rochefoucauld

We have gone for decades now with no immigration plan. Now we have one. It's a common sense immigration plan that has proven to…

— Rush Limbaugh

My company believes in hiring people based on merit.

— Azim Premji

I judge people based on merit, on personality.

— Lauren Southern

The world is not a meritocracy, as much as we may like to pretend that it is. And we have a long way to…

— Malcolm Gladwell

I support immigration, provided the people come through legally, and that is based upon merit.

— Corey Stewart

In America, as opposed to the old country, success was based on merit.

— Rand Paul

Our modern democratic ideal is based on the hope that inequalities will be based on merit more than inheritance or luck.

— Thomas Piketty

Football is a metaphor for the kind of country we want to create. It's based on merit.

— Jack Kemp