A nation of immigrants must look to its makeup as a source of strength, said Alberto Gonzales, former U.S. attorney general — and a son of migrant farmworkers.

Gonzales spoke today to the Rotary Club of Amarillo and hit a home run with at least one grandson of immigrants — me — with his comments on the subject of immigration.

“We are strong because we are a nation of immigrants,” he said. Gonzales did draw a bead on those who are here illegally. “When people fail to follow the law, then that breeds disobedience,” he said.

Then he added, “State and local governments shouldn’t have to pay for the federal government’s failure” to enact a reasonable immigration policy.

He scoffed at the notion promoted by some in Congress that we should round up all 13 million illegal immigrants and deport them. “It is impossible to locate all those people and deport them,” he said, “so why do people keep trying to pass laws that do that?”

Gonzales’ statement about the strength of this nation, though, rang the loudest with me. I’ve grown weary of those who believe that the nation has enough immigrants, that we should slam the door shut on those still seeking entry into the greatest nation on the planet.

My sainted grandparents — all four of them — surely would disapprove of such a thought.