That said, it's true that many of USAMO/IMO top contenders are fairly recent immigrants, born overseas and moved to the US at a young age, but that just embodie

That said, it's true that many of USAMO/IMO top contenders are fairly recent immigrants, born overseas and moved to the US at a young age, but that just embodies the spirit of the United States: it's founded on a constant influx of immigrants and their desire to prove themselves. That's an excellent rejoinder. Indeed, one could say that by allowing recent arrivals to participate, the U.S. is in fact showcasing one of the better sides of its character - and one of its greatest strengths. And though this will inevitably be disappointing to some "native"† students - ultimately it can be seen in a positive light, in that it demonstrates what they can also achieve, given the right degree of determination. † Being as nearly everyone born in the U.S. is a actually an "immigrant" or a descendent thereof to one degree or another, this term needs to be understood as at best a loose, colloquial designation.