As America marks 250 years of independence, I am asking a difficult question: America made us part of her story—but have we truly made her part of ours?

I came to America 30 years ago with two bags and one vision—to give my best to her. I arrived not by choice alone, but through medical circumstances that brought me from practicing law in my country of birth to this country that would become my home. Over time, I studied, rebuilt my life, and raised two children who are now thriving. America has given me more than any other place ever has—opportunity, stability, and a future I could not have imagined when I arrived. It is here that I learned that service and civic responsibility are not abstract ideals, but lived commitments that shape how I work and how I lead.

As an American Muslim of South Asian origin, I say this with deep conviction: America kept its promise to us.

This country gave immigrants like me what many of our countries of origin could not—freedom, dignity, opportunity, and the chance to thrive. We built lives here. We raised families here. We found security here. We found a future here.

Let us be honest with ourselves.

Most of us cannot simply return to our countries of origin and thrive in the........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)