--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Immigration is not about visa numbers or…" description: "\"Immigration is not about visa numbers or building a fence. It is about reclaiming our roots as a nation of immigrants and a refuge for those who have b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/mike-quigley-3276_immigrants_immigration-is-not-about-visa-numbers-or_1879686.jpg" --- # Immigration is not about visa numbers or building a fence… ![“Immigration is not about visa numbers or building a fence. It is about reclaiming our roots as a nation of immigrants and a refuge for those who have been cast aside.” quote by Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/mike-quigley-3276_immigrants_immigration-is-not-about-visa-numbers-or_1879686.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/mike-quigley-3276_immigrants_immigration-is-not-about-visa-numbers-or_1879686.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/mike-quigley-3276_immigrants_immigration-is-not-about-visa-numbers-or_1879686.jpg) > “Immigration is not about visa numbers or building a fence. It is about reclaiming our roots as a nation of immigrants and a refuge for those who have been cast aside.” [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Immigration should be seen as a cultural renewal, not merely a bureaucratic issue. **In simple terms:** Immigration is about national identity and compassion. Key Takeaway Embrace inclusive policies. Themes identity inclusion policy history compassion Mood hopeful determined reflective Type political social When to use this quote - legislative debates - community outreach - education campaigns - media commentary - immigrant support services Key Concepts nationalism refugee rights cultural heritage Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance security with openness? - What stories illustrate the benefits of immigrant contributions? A Different Perspective Political opposition may frame immigration as a security threat. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Immigrants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrants/) [Immigration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigration/) [Reclaiming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reclaiming/) [Roots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roots/) ## Related quotes > [Our goal should be to protect our borders and our national security, while instituting humane policies that reflect our values as a nation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-harrison/our-goal-should-be-to-protect-our-borders-and-our-national-security/) [Jaime Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-harrison/) > [I think the American people have a generous instinct. They understand that we're a nation of immigrants. But if those folks are going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-the-american-people-have-a-generous-instinct-they-understand/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We are a nation of immigrants - all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-menendez/we-are-a-nation-of-immigrants-all-of-us/) [Bob Menendez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-menendez/) > [We are a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-inglis/we-are-a-nation-of-laws-and-a-nation-of-immigrants/) [Bob Inglis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-inglis/) > [As the 109th Congress continues to debate legislation that will affect the lives of immigrants, it is important for us to remember that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-serrano/as-the-109th-congress-continues-to-debate-legislation-that-will/) [Jose Serrano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-serrano/) > [We have asylum laws that provide humanitarian relief. Those who qualify under those laws are entitled to the relief that we extend. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-mayorkas/we-have-asylum-laws-that-provide-humanitarian-relief-those-who/) [Alejandro Mayorkas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-mayorkas/) > [Americans are a nation of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kaine/americans-are-a-nation-of-immigrants/) [Tim Kaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kaine/) > [ We \[Americans\] are a nation of immigrants. We all understand what this country has become because talent from all around the world wants to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-americans-are-a-nation-of-immigrants-we-all-understand-what-this/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Yes, America is a nation of immigrants - but the immigrants have to enter legally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kirk/yes-america-is-a-nation-of-immigrants-but-the-immigrants-have-to/) [Charlie Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kirk/) > [This is a nation of immigrants. We welcome people coming to this country as immigrants. My dad was born in Mexico of American parents;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/this-is-a-nation-of-immigrants-we-welcome-people-coming-to-this/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [We are indeed a nation of immigrants. People who choose to come to America have always been one of our greatest sources of national…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-indeed-a-nation-of-immigrants-people-who-choose-to-come-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are a nation of immigrants. We are the children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the ones who wanted a better life, the driven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/we-are-a-nation-of-immigrants-we-are-the-children-and-grandchildren/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [America is a nation of immigrants. We have to have a functioning immigration system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kaine/america-is-a-nation-of-immigrants-we-have-to-have-a-functioning/) [Tim Kaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kaine/) > [America is a nation of immigrants, and we should treat those who come to our country with dignity and respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/america-is-a-nation-of-immigrants-and-we-should-treat-those-who-come/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [My fellow Americans, we are and always will be a nation of immigrants. We were strangers once, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/my-fellow-americans-we-are-and-always-will-be-a-nation-of-immigrants/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More by Mike Quigley > [If nothing else, the cyber attacks that occurred during the 2016 presidential election have laid bare the very real vulnerabilities that exist across our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/if-nothing-else-the-cyber-attacks-that-occurred-during-the-2016/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [I introduced the Transparency in Government Act, a multi-faceted transparency bill that would bring unprecedented access and accountability to the federal government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/i-introduced-the-transparency-in-government-act-a-multi-faceted/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [The real cost of corruption in government, whether it is local, state, or federal, is a loss of the public trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/the-real-cost-of-corruption-in-government-whether-it-is-local-state/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [Once you've stared death in the face, every day is a good day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/once-you-ve-stared-death-in-the-face-every-day-is-a-good-day/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [We can be just as safe with a smaller, more efficient nuclear arsenal at less cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/we-can-be-just-as-safe-with-a-smaller-more-efficient-nuclear-arsenal/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [I think you see a clear pattern of people in the Trump campaign coordinating with Russians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/i-think-you-see-a-clear-pattern-of-people-in-the-trump-campaign/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [Racial politics in Chicago has a long history of being intertwined with the mayor's race, but I'd like to think we're past much of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/racial-politics-in-chicago-has-a-long-history-of-being-intertwined/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [There are more kids playing hockey, and the game has become more diverse from a cultural, ethnic and geographic point of view, but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/there-are-more-kids-playing-hockey-and-the-game-has-become-more/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [Passionately defending one's principles is crucial. Representing your district is fundamental. But refusing to entertain the common ground - with no other cost but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/passionately-defending-one-s-principles-is-crucial-representing-your/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [Ever since I arrived in Washington in April 2009, I have been fighting for more transparency and accountability in government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/ever-since-i-arrived-in-washington-in-april-2009-i-have-been-fighting/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [What America really needs is a long-term bill that makes significant investments in our transportation infrastructure and reforms the highway trust fund to ensure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/what-america-really-needs-is-a-long-term-bill-that-makes-significant/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [I don't buy that there's nothing we can do to stop criminals and the mentally ill from killing if they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/i-don-t-buy-that-there-s-nothing-we-can-do-to-stop-criminals-and-the/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [Just the circumstances of being in D.C., people give you books, and there are issues you want to learn more about, so you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/just-the-circumstances-of-being-in-d-c-people-give-you-books-and/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [Denial of contraception to women without the financial means to afford it could cause substantial economic burdens, and even greater burdens if the lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/denial-of-contraception-to-women-without-the-financial-means-to/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [There is no doubt that blood must be screened in order to keep Americans safe and healthy and I am committed to working with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/there-is-no-doubt-that-blood-must-be-screened-in-order-to-keep/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) [Explore all 135 Mike Quigley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) ## More Immigrants quotes > [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [We're going to create factory jobs for recent immigrants, and Donald Trump is going to take care of them. That's why his numbers, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/we-re-going-to-create-factory-jobs-for-recent-immigrants-and-donald/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [If you chose a particular religion, you were siding with the government religion of whatever region you were in. That's never been true in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/if-you-chose-a-particular-religion-you-were-siding-with-the/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Ed Koch once said that New York City is where immigrants come to audition for America. That's what happened to my parents; that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-manuel-miranda/ed-koch-once-said-that-new-york-city-is-where-immigrants-come-to/) [Lin-Manuel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-manuel-miranda/) > [I don't like it when I see a racist comedian go up and say, 'What are we gonna do about all these immigrants?' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-don-t-like-it-when-i-see-a-racist-comedian-go-up-and-say-what-are/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We need to remain a nation that doesn't just welcome but that celebrates legal immigrants who come here seeking to pursue the American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/we-need-to-remain-a-nation-that-doesn-t-just-welcome-but-that/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Royalty has always been an unconscious but all-consuming goal of the European immigrant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vine-deloria-jr/royalty-has-always-been-an-unconscious-but-all-consuming-goal-of-the/) [Vine Deloria Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vine-deloria-jr/) > [ Most incredibly, because to me this is unbelievable, we have no idea who these \[immigrants\] are, where they come from. I always say Trojan… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/most-incredibly-because-to-me-this-is-unbelievable-we-have-no-idea/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I remember my own life as a small boy, son of Jewish immigrants, in a janitor's flat on Orchard and Stanton streets on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-k-javits/i-remember-my-own-life-as-a-small-boy-son-of-jewish-immigrants-in-a/) [Jacob K. Javits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-k-javits/) > [There are a number of much less expensive alternatives to detaining immigrants than locking them up somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/there-are-a-number-of-much-less-expensive-alternatives-to-detaining/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [ \[We need to \] select immigrants based on their likelihood of success in U.S. society and their ability to be financially self- sufficient. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-to-select-immigrants-based-on-their-likelihood-of-success-in/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I was a very sickly child. My parents were immigrants. They were not decorous. They were not discreet. They always thought I was gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-was-a-very-sickly-child-my-parents-were-immigrants-they-were-not/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) [Browse all 1,321 Immigrants quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrants/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Immigration is not about visa numbers or building a fence. It is about reclaiming our roots as a nation of immigrants and a refuge for those who have been cast aside.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mike Quigley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/immigration-is-not-about-visa-numbers-or-building-a-fence-it-is-about/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Immigrants" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/immigration-is-not-about-visa-numbers-or-building-a-fence-it-is-about/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/mike-quigley-3276_immigrants_immigration-is-not-about-visa-numbers-or_1879686.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/mike-quigley-3276_immigrants_immigration-is-not-about-visa-numbers-or_1879686.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9de/mike-quigley-3276_immigrants_immigration-is-not-about-visa-numbers-or_1879686.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Immigration is not about visa numbers or building a fence. It is about reclaiming our roots as a nation of…” — Mike Quigley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mike Quigley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Immigration is not about visa numbers...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/immigration-is-not-about-visa-numbers-or-building-a-fence-it-is-about/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/immigration-is-not-about-visa-numbers-or-building-a-fence-it-is-about/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```