Padma Lakshmi thinks immigrants are "the reason for America’s greatness".
The 49-year-old TV presenter – who was born in India but emigrated to the US during her childhood – is an advocate for immigrant rights and has stressed their importance in America’s successes.
She said: "America is made of immigrants. America has been built by immigrants from different generations and different parts of the world. It is the reason for America’s greatness.
"It is the reason for America’s economic prowess and it is the reason and source for most of our popular culture. That’s why immigrant stories are important because they’re American stories."
Padma hosts the cooking show ‘Taste the Nation’ and she thinks it addresses some of the issues the US is currently "grappling with".
She told Us Weekly: "There are so many important issues to discuss in our culture, but I do think that a show like ‘Taste The Nation’ helps to address some of the issues we’re grappling with as a country and so I’m glad that it has something positive to say at this very painful time in America.
"I’m hoping it will also bring a lot of comfort and entertainment into people’s homes at a time when they can’t travel themselves or eat in many restaurants."
Padma previously confessed to struggling with her own identity as an immigrant.
She explained: "I could never be American enough for my peers, or just to blend in for auditions or jobs when I started my career, and I couldn’t often be Indian enough when I went to see Indian family, you know, if I dressed too American, or my skirt was too short or I didn’t have a bindi on.
"So there is that discomfort. And there’s a lot of code switching. And I don’t think that ever went away until very recently."