At the White House today, 28 people become Americans

On this day 232 years ago, the Framers met in Philadelphia to sign our Constitution, setting our nation on a bold course to becoming a more perfect Union.

John Adams called the drafting of our Constitution “the greatest single effort of national deliberation that the world has ever seen.” During Constitution Week, we celebrate the American citizens who have devoted their lives to implementing the Framers’ vision of the world’s grandest, most successful experiment in self-government.

In honor of that vision, Vice President Mike Pence led a White House naturalization ceremony today, where 28 new Americans officially became United States citizens.

In photos: “Welcome to the American family,” Vice President Pence says.

“It is Constitution Day in America, but this is your day—your first day as American citizens—and you have our congratulations,” the Vice President said. “Welcome to the American family.”

This moving ceremony represents everything that our great Constitution stands for. These 28 individuals all came from different walks of life, but each one hoped to be a part of the American Dream that’s seen as a symbol of hope throughout the world. This week, nearly 34,000 other individuals like these 28 will be welcomed with open arms as the newest citizens of the United States of America.

“You all have one thing in common: You aspired to be Americans,” Vice President Pence said. “You stepped forward, you followed the law, you went through the process, and, today, you are American citizens. Well done.”

See President Trump’s proclamation on Constitution Day and Citizenship Day.

More: This Constitution Week, America welcomes 34,000 new legal citizens

President Trump arrives in California!

President Donald J. Trump continues his tour out West today, arriving in sunny California after spending last night in New Mexico.

Despite liberal state leaders who often fail to address the state’s most pressing challenges, Californians have seen incredible results under President Trump’s economic program. Job creation has rebounded in a big way, with more than 870,000 jobs added since President Trump’s election. Perhaps even more impressive, in that same time period California’s unemployment rate fell from 5.4 percent to 4.1 percent—a record low.

The difference-maker wasn’t more high-tax, big-government policies that the people of California have grown accustomed to seeing from their leaders. It was the pro-growth, workers-first agenda that President Trump began implementing on day one.

But despite these gains, California cities continue to be hampered by a severe homelessness problem that the state’s left-wing leaders consistently fail to address.

Nearly a quarter of the entire U.S. homeless population resides in California—about 130,000 people. Today, four of the five major American cities with the highest rates of unsheltered homelessness are in the state. To illustrate how dire the problem is, San Francisco has a rate of unsheltered homelessness of 60 per 10,000—10 times greater than the national average.

How did this happen? There is plenty of blame to go around in the state’s leadership, but in general, left-wing policies such as overregulation have deepened the crisis, driving up the prices of homes and leaving more people unable to afford a roof over their heads.

Making matters worse, many liberal leaders continue to ignore the rule of law—and the will of the people—by enabling massive illegal immigration. In the end, it’s their own constituents who pay the price. San Francisco’s leaders have loudly pushed for open-border policies even while their communities face a worsening homelessness crisis.

President Trump is calling them out. His Administration is paving the way for more affordable housing development and bringing needed reforms to America’s housing finance system. Real work is already being done to reduce the risk factors for homelessness, such as improving addiction treatment and mental healthcare, as well as promoting career opportunities for former prisoners. Hopefully California leaders take note.

Something to share: President Trump has delivered big results for California!

The New York Times: “America’s Cities Are Unlivable. Blame Wealthy Liberals.”