OK, Mr. Secretary. You're right about this one. Perhaps Mr. Lim's story is part of a resurgence in public service. Working for the government and serving the American people is a calling.
October 5, 2007 7:25 PM
Anonymous said...
This country should welcome LEGAL immigrants but cannot and should not be forced to accept "illegal" aliens! They are not the same! One abides and respects our laws and customs and the other does not.
October 5, 2007 9:27 PM
Eric Savage said...
Secretary Chertoff - Indeed DHS is very lucky to have an employee like Jason. He's very smart, principled and a great guy - and a Duke basketball fan! Thanks for recognizing him and his father in your blog.
October 6, 2007 3:44 AM
Anonymous said...
Mr. Lim is an example of an immigrant who did it the right way.
In my opinion, immigrants who follow all the rules and play by the book to come to our country should be rewarded with citizenship; but those who sneak in through our borders Should not be rewarded for breaking our laws and disrespecting our laws and ultimately our people!
In 1802 Alexander Hamilton wrote, the safety of a republic depends upon “the preservation of a national spirit and a national character.” “To admit foreigners indiscriminately to the rights of citizens, the moment they foot in our country would be nothing less than to admit the Grecian horse into the citadel of our liberty and sovereignty.” As our founding fathers recognized, fulfilling these fundamental duties is impossible without an orderly immigration and entrance system that discriminates in favor of those willing, as George Washington put it, to “get assimilated to our customs, measures, and laws.”
Its complete nonsense that this nation was FOUNDED by immigrants... there was no NATION to IMMIGRATE to. We came here as religious outcasts, adventurers and conquerors. And later ALLOWED others to join in AFTER the establishment of a cohesive nation. One that is under attack by a massive migration...not immigration. There is a difference.
I felt quite emotional after reading the article. This post gives added "weight" on the terms "New World" and the "American Dream". I felt this story somehow broadens our mind about the concept of Americans to some more shades of human skin color. Thank you for the article. Being an Asian-American myself, it made me feel more welcome to the Caucasian society.
October 8, 2007 2:28 AM
M. Brown said...
<< Working for the government and serving the American people is a calling. >>
It is a calling to which we must continue to respond, and to which we must continue to identify in others. As much of the federal workforce reaches retirement, we must energize the next generation of citizens to serve and secure our country.
I feel fortunate to work with such a noble man like Jason.
October 9, 2007 2:51 PM
Anonymous said...
Yes indeed encouraging, but I think ment should not encourage illegal immigration. Only legally http://topfilmclub.com/
October 18, 2007 1:30 AM
Anonymous said...
I FILLED FOR MY HUSBAND IN VERMONT CENTER I-130,AND ONLY GOT NOA1 ON JANUARY FROM THAT DATE NOTHING,I THINK THAT FOR SPOUSES AND CHILDREN FAMILY DON'T NEED WAIT SO LONG,DONT' LET FAMILY BE APART.ANOTHER IMMIGRATION CENTER ARE SO FAST,VERMONT IS SO SLOW,A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLAIN,CHILDREN GROWING WIThOUT FATERS,STEPFATHERS,IT OS NOT FAIR,LIFE IS ONE AND FAMILY HAVE TO BE TOGETHER
June 23, 2008 2:20 PM
[Photo]As Secretary of Homeland Security, I am deeply inspired by our 208,000 employees who go to work each day to protect America. Combining hard work, initiative, and ingenuity with a heartfelt love of country, they exemplify what is truly great about this nation and its people. Coming from every background and walk of life, they are indeed a microcosm of America.
I am particularly inspired by immigrants and their children who have made this nation their own and are serving our Department with pride and patriotism. I was reminded of this while reading an outstanding op-ed piece by Jason Lim in last Sunday’s Washington Post.
In the article, he tells the remarkable story of how his father, a hardworking Korean immigrant, drove him to downtown New York City after September 11, and there, in the shadow of where the Twin Towers had stood, asked him to give up a promising corporate career and work for the United States government.
It takes a special courage to leave one’s native land as Jason’s dad once did in order to pursue the promise of a better life elsewhere. It takes a special person to make that choice and a special country like America to attract special people like Mr. Lim.
Mr. Lim and Jason, like so many other immigrants and their children, had already given much to our country – Mr. Lim through his small business in New York and Jason through completing a superb education and deploying his talents in the private sector. But after September 11, in gratitude for the opportunities they’ve had, they decided to give more.
What an inspiring example! The Lims, like so many others at DHS and elsewhere – in federal, state, and local governments – demonstrate the spirit of America.
9 Comments
Close this window Jump to comment formOK, Mr. Secretary. You're right about this one. Perhaps Mr. Lim's story is part of a resurgence in public service. Working for the government and serving the American people is a calling.
October 5, 2007 7:25 PM
This country should welcome LEGAL immigrants but cannot and should not be forced to accept "illegal" aliens! They are not the same! One abides and respects our laws and customs and the other does not.
October 5, 2007 9:27 PM
Secretary Chertoff - Indeed DHS is very lucky to have an employee like Jason. He's very smart, principled and a great guy - and a Duke basketball fan! Thanks for recognizing him and his father in your blog.
October 6, 2007 3:44 AM
Mr. Lim is an example of an immigrant who did it the right way.
In my opinion, immigrants who follow all the rules and play by the book to come to our country should be rewarded with citizenship; but those who sneak in through our borders
Should not be rewarded for breaking our laws and disrespecting our laws and ultimately our people!
In 1802 Alexander Hamilton wrote, the safety of a republic depends upon “the preservation of a national spirit and a national character.” “To admit foreigners indiscriminately to the rights of citizens, the moment they foot in our country would be nothing less than to admit the Grecian horse into the citadel of our liberty and sovereignty.”
As our founding fathers recognized, fulfilling these fundamental duties is impossible without an orderly immigration and entrance system that discriminates in favor of those willing, as George Washington put it, to “get assimilated to our customs, measures, and laws.”
October 6, 2007 9:51 AM
Its complete nonsense that this nation was FOUNDED by immigrants... there was no NATION to IMMIGRATE to. We came here as religious outcasts, adventurers and conquerors. And later ALLOWED others to join in AFTER the establishment of a cohesive nation. One that is under attack by a massive migration...not immigration. There is a difference.
October 8, 2007 12:40 AM
I felt quite emotional after reading the article. This post gives added "weight" on the terms "New World" and the "American Dream".
I felt this story somehow broadens our mind about the concept of Americans to some more shades of human skin color.
Thank you for the article. Being an Asian-American myself, it made me feel more welcome to the Caucasian society.
October 8, 2007 2:28 AM
<< Working for the government and serving the American people is a calling. >>
It is a calling to which we must continue to respond, and to which we must continue to identify in others. As much of the federal workforce reaches retirement, we must energize the next generation of citizens to serve and secure our country.
I feel fortunate to work with such a noble man like Jason.
October 9, 2007 2:51 PM
Yes indeed encouraging, but I think ment should not encourage illegal immigration. Only legally
http://topfilmclub.com/
October 18, 2007 1:30 AM
I FILLED FOR MY HUSBAND IN VERMONT CENTER I-130,AND ONLY GOT NOA1 ON JANUARY FROM THAT DATE NOTHING,I THINK THAT FOR SPOUSES AND CHILDREN FAMILY DON'T NEED WAIT SO LONG,DONT' LET FAMILY BE APART.ANOTHER IMMIGRATION CENTER ARE SO FAST,VERMONT IS SO SLOW,A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLAIN,CHILDREN GROWING WIThOUT FATERS,STEPFATHERS,IT OS NOT FAIR,LIFE IS ONE AND FAMILY HAVE TO BE TOGETHER
June 23, 2008 2:20 PM