Today, in order for an immigrant to become a US citizen, they have to take a civics and language test, have a green card and be a permanent resident, and also appear in federal court. Becoming a US citizen is a complicated process is and often expensive, which is often a deterrent. Immigration is often a voided topic in school curriculum because media headlines often shape the way students and their families think about immigration. Especially in 2017, there are some scary messages from the government being sent out to the American people and immigrants not only don’t feel accepted, but they feel that they are in danger. Also, for teachers thinking about discussing the topic of immigration, it is a daunting task because there is such a
The reality that immigration policies and registration requirements create for undocumented students is a grim one; despite their scholarly capability, thousands upon thousands of undocumented students who have completed high school do not continue on with their education because of the lack of legal paperwork (DREAM Act). This has been the story line for countless undocumented valedictorians, like Grecia Cantu, who’s dream of going to Baylor University to become a teacher was plucked by a simple mandate of Congress (Smith). Despite having a presidential scholarship to Baylor University, Grecia’s future is hampered by her illegal status in the country and the inactivity of the DREAM Act in congress, which is due largely to its brisk opponents. Critics of the legislation falsely advocate that it grants preferential treatment to undocumented students (Malkin 1). In reality, the DREAM Act only grants qualifying individuals with a temporary residency, a driver’s license, and a work permit (Giving the Fact). This allows the students who meet the criteria the same tuition rates as natural-born citizens and a legal way to work and drive in the country. Another resounding critic among the opponents of the bill includes the common misconception that the DREAM Act will provide amnesty and forgive the federal offense immigrants committed when they entered the country illegally (Smith). In truth, only immigrants who entered the country during their youth, before age 16, are eligible for the benefits of the legislation. Once they apply, they will have to fulfill the requirements of completing a 2-year college or serve a 2-year term in the armed forces to finally receive resident status, not citizenship, after 6 years of proved residency (Creating Opportunities). If Congress allowed this legislation to
Out of those million immigrants there are about one out of five children under the age of eighteen are either an immigrant or a child of immigrants parents. (Orozco, 2001). The majority of immigrants are from Latino or Asian origin. The United States has been experiencing a large wave of people coming into this country to start a new life from what they had before. Every region in the country is experiencing the growth of immigration every year. With this new immigration the U.S is witnessing immigrant children take over public schools. Today immigrant students are becoming the fastest population to grow in the child population in the United States (Hamilton, 2010). Many parents send their children to the United States and separate themselves from them because they want them to have a better life and live the American dream. Many kids go to school at a young age and get through high school and college and even start their careers. But many of them have to live in fear of being found out. They can’t trust many people, even the closest one to them (Vargas,
Illegal immigration has become more of an important issue in the United States since Donald Trump’s campaign for president in 2016. Immigration can be known as the act of people crossing national borders to live permanently in other countries. It becomes illegal when they cross those borders without the legal right to be in those countries. The U.S. has been an immigrant country since the pilgrims in the 1600s and has ever since, been diverse. Most of the immigrants are Latinos that come from Central America, but they also come from all over the world. The current path to legal citizenship is flawed and needs to be reformed to allow rights to be upheld, equal and fair treatment of all applicants, and to facilitate the process altogether.
Every year thousands of undocumented students graduate from high school with uncertainty about a post-secondary education. Many of these students do not have the financial means, and are often too scared about their legal status to continue their education. This issue is extremely prevalent in the state of California, hosting 2.6 million “alien residents”, it has the largest population of undocumented immigrants (Gonzales, 2006). Immigration policies have been controversial topics in the United States for a long time. Although there is still an ongoing debate about reforming the current immigration laws, there has been progress in making post-secondary education a possibility for undocumented students. This paper will focus
For many people, it could be a challenge to become a U.S. citizen. For others, becoming a U.S. citizen was easy. Everyone has the dream to become a U.S. citizen, but not everyone has the privilege to be a U.S. citizen. For the people that do have the privilege to become a U.S. citizen there is a process that the applicants must take and get granted with U.S. citizenship. The steps for becoming a U.S. citizen are eligibility, applying for citizenship, and take oath of allegiance.
The U.S. citizenship test is considered to be one of the most important steps in the naturalization process. This test features 100 civics questions, out of which to-be U.S. citizens are asked 10 questions. They will fail if they get more than four questions wrong. While the civics test is one part of the citizenship test and interview, the English test is the other part.
The “Undocumented Students” are youth who arrived to the United States as young children. These are young adults fighting hard to achieve their piece of the American Dream. Their experiences are emblematic of the struggles of millions of undocumented children and youth in America who deal daily with isolation from peers, the struggle to pursue an education, fears of detention and deportation and the trauma of separation from family and loved ones. Today there are one million children under 18 and 4.4 million under 30 undocumented young adults living in America and 11 Undocumented immigrants (American Psychological). Being undocumented negatively
Undocumented students face many obstacles throughout their lives because of their undocumented status. Being undocumented allows many people to discriminate against illegal individuals (Jones 1). Limits are put on undocumented students leaving them with a lower quality of education. Illegal immigrants are being driven out of the country, leaving the United States suffering economically (Peña 1). Deportation is being summoned in order to try and repair the economic downfall of the United States. Undocumented students live with constant fear of being deported at any given time (Jones 1). They are unaware of how long they will be able to stay in the education system. Undocumented students do not possess the same rights as documented citizens (Jones 1). Many of the students are unable to afford college because they are not allowed to pay in-state tuitions. Immigrants are being forced out of their jobs (Peña 1). Lacking an income, students are unable to afford going to college. Undocumented students cannot acquire any form of federal aid unlike citizens (Palacios 1). They have difficulties moving forward academically. Not being able to attend college after high school prevents students from being able to
The debate on whether non-documented students should be granted residency for tuition purposes has been a primary issue for a decade in the United States. Each side has cited their reasons for their sides, citing both moral/equity and financial/economic arguments to support their positions. With statistics indicating that approximately 15% of the nation’s 12 million undocumented immigrants are below the age of 18, there are more young undocumented immigrants enrolled in the primary and secondary educational system. Statistical estimate also indicates that 65, 000 undocumented students
The Naturalization Act of 1790 enforced the idea that only free white people could become a citizen of the United States (Lecture, Week 2). This act is significant because it shows how prevalent racism and sexism was back then. After learning about the citizenship process in the video, Becoming a U.S. Citizen: An Overview of the Naturalization Process, it shows how conditions have significantly improved and highlights how the United States’ citizenship process has progressed.
“My parents have been keeping a secret from me” my best friend Katia told me one day during our Algebra II class. I looked at her in confusion I didn’t understand why she was so upset, or any idea what her parents would be hiding from her. Looking at her, her face ever so frustrated, she told me “I don’t have a social security, I wasn’t born here, I’m an illegal immigrant”. This was very heavy news, considering the fact that we were only sophomores in high school. I couldn’t imagine the devastation she had to face when she was told by her parents that she couldn’t do or participate in certain things because of her immigration status, that discovery of course, she told me, was very hard for her. Anxiety over deportation should not have been a constant fear for her or anyone’s high school agenda, failing a course, now this, should have been the only scary thing about being in high school. Being the child of two illegal immigrants,who had just received their United States residency, myself, I saw how much my parents struggled. Both of my parents come from underprivileged families who immigrated to the United States came from Mexico to achieve a better life as teenagers. They later met here, got married, and had me here in San Jose, where I became a first generation United States citizen. I saw the amount of time and especially money invested in obtaining their residency, something, by what I understand, a high schooler has a very limited supply of. Time
Becoming a citizen of the United States is a very lengthy process. Not just anyone can become a citizen of the United States. There are many requirements and responsibilities to becoming a citizen, whether it is of the United States or any other country. Being a citizen of the United States is a very special privilege. The people who do become a citizen should be very lucky and proud to be the citizen of the United States. Even though they do become citizens of the United States they shouldn't forget about their own country either, but share the joyfulness.
To be a Naturalized citizen your age has to be eighteen years or older. You must have a green card for five years or more. You must have lived in the U.S. for three months or more. You have to be able to read and speak English fluently. You have to have a basic understanding of U.S. history. You can not have a criminal record. You know the basic knowledge of the constitution.
Children of undocumented immigrants are entitled to public education, because the U.S. constitution guarantees that migrant children and children born in the U.S. have equal educational opportunities. European immigrants migrated to the United States without question of their legal status, and were able to easily blend in, however, in the current time, race plays a great part in how people perceive undocumented migrants. Children are the future of our country and their education shouldn’t be determined by their parent’s legal status. I plan to use this article to explain how immigrants are treated differently than they were in the past, and how race may play a role into it.
Millions of people have migrated to the United States of America from places all around the world. For most of the immigrants, their journey to America is usually not the toughest part of their migration. The ultimate challenge is to become a U.S. citizen. Our country and its people have decided who is fit to be a U.S. citizen both legally and culturally by passing a variety of immigration laws, favoring specific groups of immigrants over the others, and recent events have influenced Americans’ attitudes towards immigrants.