| Written by Maria Elena Salinas |
| Monday, August 18 2003 |
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| This is one of those topics that I revisit once in a while in my columns. I have always felt that it is not an easy thing to become a citizen of this country, and not just because of the strict requirements and having to fill out a 10-page application. Becoming an American citizen, with all of its benefits -- and there are many -- is a very personal decision that has to be made for the right reasons.
When you become an American citizen, you are asked to renounce any other citizenship. That, for some, is a tough decision. While they might love this country and might want to become a more integral part of its society, for many, renouncing their citizenship creates an identity issue and makes them feel as if they are turning their backs on their countries of origin.
Throughout the years, people have come to the United States under very different circumstances. The first waves of European immigrants came running away from war, famine, religious persecution or political turmoil. They came to the land of the free with the intention of staying and making new lives for themselves and their families. Besides, geographically, going back home was not exactly easy.
But more-recent immigrants have a different set of circumstances. For one thing, they don't have to spend weeks on a ship to get back home. Technology makes it a lot easier to stay in touch with loved ones and get back home in a matter of hours. Now it's simple for people to decide to come here, study, work, make some extra bucks, send money to the folks back home, or save it and take it back with them to improve their living conditions there. So, becoming a citizen of the United States becomes a matter of choice.
There are many reasons why immigrants choose citizenship once they decide to make this their permanent home. Now that many countries allow dual citizenship, they don't have to give up their rights in their country of origin. Loyalty and a desire to serve the United States is certainly one good reason. But then there are the more practical ones, like being able to work for the federal government and qualifying for benefits reserved only for U.S. citizens. It's easier to travel abroad with a U.S. passport and petition family members for legal residency. And, of course, the most important privilege a U.S. citizen has is the right to vote.
It's estimated that between 6 million and 10 million immigrants living in the United States could qualify for citizenship but have not taken the oath. Most of them are Hispanic, and about 2 million are Asian or European. The average wait for citizenship is anywhere from six months to a year. So, if someone should decide to apply for citizenship today, he or she can still be sworn in on time to register to vote for the next presidential election. Having a say in who will govern the country, city or state that you live in has got to be one of the most rewarding privileges any person could have.
To become a citizen of the United States, you have to be 18 years of age or older, have lived as a legal, permanent resident in the country for at least five years, and you must have basic knowledge of the English language, U.S. history and U.S. government.
The English requirement is waived in some cases, such as if the applicant is over 55 years old and has lived in the country for 15 to 20 years. However, he or she still must take the test in the language of his or her choice. For him or her, the test includes 25 questions, some of which would be difficult for even some U.S. citizens to answer.
One of the questions is whose rights are protected under the Bill of Rights? Everyone should know the answer to that one. The Bill of Rights guarantees the rights of everyone living in the United States, citizens or non-citizens. |
