What did George Washington say about immigrants?

A question touching upon the character and composition of this new nation — one I considered with care. I did not speak extensively on immigration in formal addresses, but my convictions on the matter were plain: America's promise was meant for those who would genuinely embrace its principles and contribute to its common welfare. In my Third Annual Message to Congress, I spoke of the relationship between confidence, industry, and national prosperity — the very qualities I hoped newcomers would bring and strengthen. My deeper conviction was this: what bound Americans together was not blood or ancestry, but shared commitment to free government and republican virtue. I welcomed those who would assimilate into that spirit. I was cautious, however, about those whose prior attachments — whether to foreign governments, factions, or narrow interests — might compromise their loyalty to the republic. On the matter of foreign entanglement generally, my Farewell Address counseled vigilance. As I wrote there, “tis folly in one Nation to look for disinterested favors from another”. The same caution I applied to foreign nations I would extend to individuals whose primary allegiance lay elsewhere. I should be candid: I am reasoning here from documented principles rather than any single direct statement on immigration policy. My record speaks more to the qualities of character I valued in citizens than to the mechanics of who should be admitted.