--- description: As the controversy over the Trump administration's border policies escalates, Jimmy Kimmel is showing appreciation for America's new citizens. title: Jimmy Kimmel Gave New U.S. Citizens a True American Welcome image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcb4d6402dd2c1b8b/6989332bab6d77267e6b2f6a/screen-shot-2018-06-15-at-10-22-11-am.png?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Jimmy Kimmel Gave New U.S. Citizens a True American Welcome With Illegal Fireworks and Everything  by [Megan McCluskey](/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Staff Writer Jun 15, 2018 2:59 PM CUT  ABC  by [Megan McCluskey](/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Staff Writer Jun 15, 2018 2:59 PM CUT As the controversy over the [Trump administration border policy](http://time.com/5312987/jeff-sessions-separating-immigrant-families/ "undefined") that is resulting in hundreds of [immigrant children](http://time.com/5312971/texas-temporary-immigrant-shelter/ "undefined") being separated from their parents after they [enter the U.S. illegally](http://time.com/5311971/parents-children-us-border/ "undefined") continued to escalate on Thursday, Jimmy Kimmel took the time to show appreciation for some of America’s newest citizens. “We’ve heard a lot lately about immigrants and immigration,” he said. “We seem to have forgotten that this is a nation of immigrants—people who came here because they believe they can build a better life. Every week, immigrants from all over the world take the oath of citizenship in courthouses, libraries, auditoriums all across the country without much pomp or circumstance…I think becoming an American shouldn’t look like a visit to the DMV.” The _Live!_ host then invited six brand new U.S. citizens to join him on stage to properly celebrate their naturalization, presenting them with official “Welcome to America” gift baskets that included patriotic souvenirs such as an apple pie, a beer helmet, illegal Chinese fireworks and a pair of trunk nuts. Watch the full clip below. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5313396/jimmy-kimmel-welcomes-immigrants/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5313396/jimmy-kimmel-welcomes-immigrants/"},"headline":"Jimmy Kimmel Gave New U.S. Citizens a True American Welcome With Illegal Fireworks and Everything","datePublished":"2018-06-15T14:59:16.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:53:26.355Z","description":"\"We seem to have forgotten that this is a nation of immigrants\"","url":"https://time.com/5313396/jimmy-kimmel-welcomes-immigrants/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Television","Jimmy Kimmel","TV","jimmy kimmel live","Late Night Television"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcb4d6402dd2c1b8b/6989332bab6d77267e6b2f6a/screen-shot-2018-06-15-at-10-22-11-am.png?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Megan McCluskey","jobTitle":"Staff Writer","url":"https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcb4d6402dd2c1b8b/6989332bab6d77267e6b2f6a/screen-shot-2018-06-15-at-10-22-11-am.png?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Jimmy-Kimmel-Immigrants","caption":"","creditText":"ABC","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5313396/jimmy-kimmel-welcomes-immigrants/","name":"Jimmy Kimmel Gave New U.S. Citizens a True American Welcome With Illegal Fireworks and Everything"}}]}] ```