Silicon Valley has been reeling from the aftermath of the presidential campaign and the surprising results. Yet there has been less outward condemnation than one might have guessed. Rather, the response has been “deafening silence and quiet acquiescence,” noted one commentator. This may be due to the fact that the promise of financial deregulation has encouraged cooperation by corporate executives who are focused on short-term economic interests.

This complacency was challenged in the aftermath of the Trump administration’s recent anti-immigration executive order. In response,many tech leaders took action, including Sergey Brin of Alphabet GOOG, -3.15% , Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook FB, -0.68% , Sam Altman, the president of Y Combinator, and Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, to name a few.

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Hedge fund executives as well pledged to match donations made by their colleagues and friends to advocacy groups including the ACLU. Close to 100 tech giants, many of them rivals who are often at odds, co-signed a legal brief arguing against the controversial order.

“ Shutting U.S. borders and reducing competition is the most un-American of actions. ”

This widespread reaction I believe was propelled by the belief that shutting U.S. borders and reducing competition is the most un-American of actions. But it is more than that — these companies and executives understand, as should we as a country, that what’s best for American business, workers, and this nation’s comparative advantage in the world, is driven by the diversity of thought and action. Immigration and competition drive this country’s success.

As an immigrant who for 30 years has called America home, I can say from experience that the U.S. is an extraordinary nation. America throughout its history has given so many immigrants, including my family, the opportunity to fulfil numerous dreams, and to celebrate and practice freedom, opportunity, and vibrancy like no other nation.

Why do immigrants succeed in the U.S.? Partly it’s a numbers game, as venture capitalist Paul Graham commented, the U.S. represents only 5% of the world’s population, so it stands to reason that most of the world’s best new ideas will come from people not born in the U.S.

Immigrants bring different perspectives. For example, the Brazilian founder of Instagram understood that eliminating text would encourage worldwide adoption by non-English speakers, which has made Instagram such a great product.

Moreover, immigrants work hard. Around the world, the phenomena that is Silicon Valley is being emulated, demonstrating a voracious appetite for innovation, risk-taking, and creativity. I am confident that without immigration, Silicon Valley wouldn’t be the global beacon and inspiration it is.

“ One in four Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or by first-generation Americans. ”

Open borders also allow greater competition. This has been the backbone of U.S. economic policy. Competition yields lower costs, better quality, more choices, more innovation, greater efficiency, and a stronger democracy by dispersing economic power.

Preserving competition is, of course, the central tenet of America’s antitrust laws. The Sherman Act was designed to be a comprehensive charter of economic liberty aimed at preserving free and unfettered competition as the rule of trade. It rests on the premise that the unrestrained interaction of competitive forces will yield the best allocation of our economic resources, the lowest prices, the highest quality and the greatest material progress. At the same time it provides an environment conducive to the preservation of America’s democratic, political, and social institutions.

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So how has this manifested in the real world? Of the 87 “unicorns” (privately held U.S. startups valued at $1 billion or more), more than half were founded by one or more individuals born outside of the U.S. More than 70% of these companies are led by immigrants in executive roles. One in four Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or by first-generation Americans like my children. These companies provide jobs to millions of Americans around the country. These are the facts.

Finally, it is important to note that immigrant families contribute significant philanthropic dollars towards education, training, health, the environment, and the underprivileged in so many communities. The responsibility a government carries to address the basic needs of her citizens are being supported by immigrants who proudly call America their home.

When I think about America, I see the same America that Nike NKE, -0.96% founder Phil Knight describes as having an “outsized sense of possibility mixed with a diminished capacity for pessimism.” That’s the power of this great nation; allowing creativity and innovation to foster opportunity and success for all of us.

America’s dynamic, free, and open economy has for more than two centuries acted as a powerful magnet for the world’s brightest and most creative minds. This is the American tradition. In every generation, millions of talented people from around the world risk leaving their homes to seek a better life in the U.S. And the U.S. economy benefits enormously from the contributions of these hard-working, innovative individuals. Let us celebrate and build on this great American tradition.

Lata Krishnan is CFO of investment firm Shah Capital Partners in Santa Clara, Calif. and co-chair of the American India Foundation. On March 3 in San Francisco, she will be a recipient of the Commonwealth Club’s Distinguished Citizen Award .