IMMIGRATION IS A COMPLEX PROCESS

Immigration is a controversial topic we’ve all heard over and over for years, but do we as Americans really grasp the concept?

Legal immigration is a process through which individuals “become permanent residents or citizens of a new country,” as explained by Brittanica.com. It’s a long and grueling process, but most of us don’t really know the process of how to obtain citizenship.

To be eligible to apply for an immigrant visa, a foreign citizen must be sponsored by a U.S. citizen relative, a lawful U.S. permanent resident, or a prospective employer, with a few exceptions. The sponsor begins the immigration process by filing a petition on the foreign citizen’s behalf with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

In truth, most people who apply to become American citizens wait up to 15 years or longer before they are actually granted citizenship.

In the meantime, under the Trump administration (and the Obama administration before that), many families and people looking for a better life have been turned away or deported back to their countries, because they can’t afford the cost to become a citizen, whether it’s due to financial or time-based issues. Also, small crimes can cost someone applying for citizenship everything.

Netflix now also has a documentary about illegal immigration – “Living Undocumented” – that shows us the true fear and terror all illegal immigrants face on a daily basis because they were either denied citizenship, are waiting to have it granted, or have had their citizenship taken away due do a minor crime such as a traffic ticket, and can no longer stay in the U.S.

It shows their day-to-day lives and struggles, such as not being able to work until they are given a Social Security number.

Did you know the current naturalization fee for a U.S. citizenship application is $725? That includes $640 for application processing and $85 for biometrics services, both of which are nonrefundable regardless if the U. S. government approves or rejects the application.

We as American citizens often take advantage of the small luxuries we are handed just for being naturally born citizens. Too often, we forget that not everyone has those same opportunities. A better understanding might help us all.