For undocumented Latinos, the threat of deportation is an ever-present destabilizing factor that endangers their capacity to have a stable family and work life. And yet, less than half of all Latinos in the U.S. that are currently able to naturalize have done so.
Barriers to getting a green card, which puts people on the path to citizenship, include the $680 fee, the English language and the complicated application process.For decades, immigrants had little or no organized help in getting through the process, but now there is.
The “New Americans” campaign is a national network of legal-service providers, faith-based organizations, businesses, foundations and community leaders dedicated to helping immigrants earn their American citizenship by providing funds, helping to educate them in English and civics, giving technical and legal assistance, producing training and educational publications, increasing awareness about fee waivers, helping them fill out the 10-page application form and managing the legal complexities some immigrants face.
On Oct. 19, there will be a Citizenship Workshop at St. James Cathedral in Downtown Brooklyn from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. In order to attend, you must call 646-597-8797 before Oct. 11 to register. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and have been in the U.S. for at least five years (three years if you are married to a U.S. citizen). The workshop will give step-by-step assistance in each individual’s application process.
Father Patrick Keating, director of the diocese’s Catholic Migration Office, said that “this workshop is an excellent opportunity for eligible citizenship applicants to benefit from the expertise and resources of Catholic Migration Services. It is intended to provide accessible legal assistance to individuals for whom the naturalization process can often be daunting and confusing. Our staff and volunteers are trained to answer questions that will result in the completion of naturalization applications for all eligible participants. This will put them on the path to citizenship which is critical to full participation in the civic life of the community and brings many benefits to individuals and families as well.”
Robert McCreanor, director of legal services at Catholic Migration Services, described the benefits immigrants can expect: “This workshop does more than pass along educational information on how to become a citizen. It is designed for those people that already have their green card and need help with the actual process of applying for citizenship status. The purpose of the workshop is to have the attendees leave with a finished application ready to be mailed out.
“I know that there are many immigrants in our community that have not applied because they are inhibited by the language and civics requirements, because applicants are expected to take a test in English; but I want them to know that there are waivers for those tests, and that they must come and see if they are eligible for them. There are also waivers for the filing fee. Becoming a citizen not only allows you to vote and participate in our democracy, it guarantees you will never be deported unexpectedly, and you may travel in and out of the U.S. as much as you please, without having to worry about how many days you can be out of the country,” he said.
McCreanor stressed that the “New Americans” workshop is for green card holders, but he added that Catholic Migration Services can help people with getting a green card as well. The telephone numbers to call for help with green cards are: 718-236-3000 in Brooklyn and 347-472-3500 in Queens.
Becoming a legal citizen is a long and complicated process.
The first step is getting a green card. According to the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, there are three general paths: through family members, for humanitarian reasons or through employment.
Those who have a spouse, a child under the age of 21 or a parent who is a U.S. citizen are in the top priority category. Those with an adult child who is a U.S. citizen, those who are the brother or sister of an adult U.S. citizen, or those who have a family member who is a green card holder, can apply for a green card. The humanitarian path is for refugees from war-torn nations. The employment path is for those who get a job offer here or fit into special categories of jobs.
But there are limits to the number of green cards issued for each category, and there is a certain percentage issued for each country of origin.
If you do get a green card, are 18 years old or older, have lived in the U.S. for five years and have no history of arrests, then you are eligible to take the U.S. civics and English tests for full citizenship.