Do I deserve to be an American?

Representative James Sensenbrenner (via Voxbaby) says:

It is offensive to me to think we have legislators who are considering selling US citizenship for $2,000.

Many economists would agree: $2,000 is well below the equilibrium price.

The congressman goes on:

US citizenship is not for sale. It is a privilege bestowed upon those who appreciate its value, and who contribute to our nation by living in a manner that reflects the principles and ideology of being an American.

I wonder how many Americans would qualify for the privilege under this criterion. Those of us lucky enough be born in the United States often take U.S. citizenship for granted. By contrast, immigrants uprooting their lives, leaving behind friends and family, to find new hope in a foreign land often have a deep appreciation of the value of being an American.

That is how my grandparents felt about it when they immigrated from Ukraine. I bet the same is true of many Mexican immigrants today.