Americans by Choice

** "Americans by Choice" by John Palmer Gavit is a deep look into how immigrants become American citizens, especially those who choose it instead of being born into it. The book looks at what these people add to American politics and the problems they have fitting in, as well as changes in what it means to be a citizen in America. Gavit starts by talking about what it means to willingly become an American, comparing it to those born here. He talks about wrong ideas and biases about immigrants, pointing out that they can actually help the country politically. Gavit shows how people used to think about immigrants, especially how the public can get their role in American democracy wrong. He explains that many people think immigrants mess up politics, but it's more complex and that we need to study the facts and their lives to really understand how they participate in politics and the work it takes to find their way in a new country. **