Of course, German immigrants to Pennsylvania did not become English, nor did they make Pennsylvanians into Germans. Instead, they became Americans. So did the Chinese, Japanese and Koreans who came, despite prejudice. So do the Mexicans, Cubans and Haitians who come today.

The United States has united immigrants and their descendants around a commitment to democratic ideals and constitutional principles. People from an extraordinary range of ethnic and religious backgrounds have embraced these ideals.

There is a word for this process: Americanization. That word earned a bad reputation when it was stolen by racists and xenophobes in the 1920's. But it is our word, and we are taking it back. Americanization means becoming a part of the polity -- becoming one of us. But that does not mean conformity. We are more than a melting pot; we are a kaleidoscope, where every turn of history refracts new light on the old promise.

Immigration imposes mutual obligations. Those who choose to come here must embrace the common core of American civic culture. We must assist them in learning our common language: American English. We must renew civic education in the teaching of American history for all Americans. We must vigorously enforce the laws against hate crimes and discrimination. We must remind ourselves, as we illustrate for newcomers, what makes us America.

Naturalization is a vital step in this process. Interest in naturalization has never been greater; applications for citizenship exceed in number and proportion any previous period in our history. But would-be citizens must wait too long to be processed, as much as two years in some cities. The Immigration and Naturalization Service must make timely naturalization a strategic goal while maintaining rigorous standards.