INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A Republican candidate for Congress said it will take immigrants like himself to fix the country’s immigration system.

Sid Mahant came to the United States from India at age 23. He now owns a trucking company and is running in the Republican primary for Indiana’s sixth congressional district. That seat is currently held by Greg Pence, who is not seeking another term. In an interview with News 8 for All INdiana Politics, Mahant said he wants to give back to his adoptive country. He said there is no equivalent to the concept of the American Dream anywhere else in the world.

“I was able, at an early age, to achieve my American Dream,” Mahant said. “I believe the American Dream is slipping through our fingers and it’s my duty to give it to the next generation.”

Mahant said when he immigrated to the United States, it took so long to process his paperwork, the immigration office at one point lost track of his interviews. He said visas take relatively little time to get approved, but those visa holders then must wait years to become full citizens. Mahant said he wants to speed up the citizenship process. He said no policymaker can understand the weaknesses of the existing legal immigration system the way someone who has gone through it has.

Beyond immigration, Mahant said transportation infrastructure is a top priority for him. He said investing in roads and bridges will lead to better economic growth.

All INdiana Politics airs at 9:30 a.m. Sunday on WISH-TV.