And yet he lives and works in the US. That is(was?) America's big strength, not that Americans are the best or the brightest, but that the best and the brightest from all around the world would choose to come to America to realize their dreams.

Absolutely, but he worked methodically when he was younger to get both himself and his family into the USA.

I doubt it was a struggle, since his mother was American-Canadian. Doesn't diminish his accomplishments in any way though.