Republican 2016 presidential hopeful Ben Carson went back to his Michigan roots to let his thoughts about immigration reform be clearly known.

Arguing that he wants to preserves the U.S. as "Judeo-Christian," Yahoo reports the retired neurosurgeon and GOP candidate added that immigrants in America "cannot alter who we are."

In recent days, the outspoken Carson has blamed "political correctness" for the backlash he has faced over his recent comments against electing a Muslim president. Carson later clarified his statement, saying that he might be open to a moderate Muslim who denounces radical Islam to his satisfaction.

"I have no interest in being like everybody else and giving away all of our values and principles for the sake of political correctness," Carson told a crowd at Spring Arbor University, near the town of Jackson where he grew up and officially launched his campaign several months ago. "There is such a thing as an American dream and the American way. Anybody is welcome to come to America, but they don't get to change who we are."

During his 30-minute speech, Carson shared snippets from his life story and talked about how he rose from poverty, while being raised by a single mother. He went on to accuse Democrats of dividing America with what he called the "phony" proliferation of a "war on women" agenda, adding his life was "shaped and made successful by women."

While answering questions from the audience, Carson vowed that if he were elected, he would revamp the Department of Veterans Affairs so that vets would only attend specialty hospitals for issues like brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder treatment, limb replacement and research. More routine services would be handled in other ways, which he insisted would greatly cut down on the well-documented delays in services.

On the recent charges of police abuse and brutality, Carson reasoned every profession has some "inappropriate" actors, but stressed law enforcement still deserves respect.

"If a police officer stops you, don't give him a bunch of lip," he said.

In the latest CNN/ORC Republican poll, Carson garnered 14 percent of the vote, placing him third after Donald Trump and the surging Carly Fiorina at 24 and 15 percent, respectively.