The Importance Of Citizenship In The United States

After six years under conditional permanent residency with a “good moral character,” (Duncan A.19") they can then apply for their permanent resident status and then eventually become U.S citizens. It is reasonable that after meeting such strict requirements and attending American schools for so long, they should be able to become U.S citizens.

Citizenship can be defined as the position or status of being a citizen in a particular country (Oxford Dictionaries, 2016). This definition is not very broad, nor does it cover the many aspects of citizenship that exist in the 21st century. It is not only about being a legal citizen of a particular country, it is also about being a social citizen. You can be a citizen of Australia but choose to live elsewhere for the majority of your life. In terms of citizenship it is relevant on a political and social level. If you are actively contributing to the country in which you live in some ways you are fulfilling your duties as a citizen.

Becoming a citizen of the United States is a very prolonged process. Not just anybody can necessarily become a US citizen, there are multiple requirements and responsibilities to becoming a citizen, no matter if it is here in the US or any other particular country such as brazil or Germany. Being a US citizen is a special privilege and those who have become fortunate enough to become a citizen in the US should feel extremely lucky and proud. Even though they do become US citizens, they necessarily should not forget about their home country, but at least share the joyfulness of becoming a US citizen. The process of becoming a proud citizen of the Us is not necessarily hard, but you have to have been a decent residence here in the US, this basically means that you had obeyed all of the laws, were a good person with good moral character.

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 document, Learn About the United States: Quick Civics Lessons for the Naturalization Test, has many important ideologies to help immigrants gain U.S citizenship. The concept that is the most valuable for immigrants to understand in order to become productive law- abiding citizens of the United States is the Constitution and how it works. How the government operates, taking part of the political process, who makes the laws, and your rights as a citizen is all covered under the Constitution.

The purpose of the naturalization process is to give the opportunity for other people to become citizen of a country. The country sees if the person who wants to be a

“We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish the Constitution for the United States of America.” Without the right that the Constitution brings us, we wouldn’t have rights therefore the United States wouldn’t be a good place to live in. The Constitution brings us the right of freedom of speech (first amendment) , the right to bear arms (second amendment), and the right to protect against unreasonable government actions such as search and seizure of person property (fourth amendment). Being an American citizen means that you have rights that they would like you to fulfil. As an American citizen is it voluntary to vote, but others are required such as obeying the law and paying taxes. The Magna Carta, John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government, and the Petition of Rights explains the rights and the responsibilities of an American citizen.

According to the article "How the United States Immigration System Works," the INA, or Immigration and Naturalization Act, only allows for 675,000 permanent immigrants worldwide per year ("How the United States Immigration System Works" 1). This article continues to explain that, in order to qualify for citizenship, an immigrant must have held a green card for at least five years, must be eighteen years or older, and must demonstrate residency and good moral character; in addition, an applicant must pass an English and U.S. history and civics exams, and he/she must pay a fee ("How the United States Immigration System Works" 29). Civil law really stacks the odds against immigrants, but these harsh laws should ultimately inspire us to seek change, rather than discourage

These requirements are only to be accepted under the DREAM act, there are more sets of requirements to pass once you have been accepted into it. There is passing criminal background checks and reviews, and all these requirements are in order to be approved for permanent residency and ultimately citizenship.

Another important requirement is that applicants for naturalization must be able to read, write, speak, and understand words in ordinary usage in the English language. The only people who are exempt from that are those who have been residing permanently in the U.S. for over 15 years and are 55 years of age or older, have been residing 20 years and 50 years of age or older, or have a physical or mental disability which impairs them from learning English. An applicant must also demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the history and the form of government of the United States. To demonstrate this knowledge and understanding the applicant must take a U.S. History test which consists of approximately 25

Another reason that most of the immigrants do not care about becoming citizen is that the pathway to citizenship is very complicated to handle because of bureaucratic process. Becoming a citizen in the U.S. is extremely difficult. Immigrants live in the fear of being deported yet they do not apply for citizenship because most of them are uneducated and it is out of their range. If obtaining a citizenship was just filling out form then all immigrants would be a citizen, but it is more than just filling out form. Once you fill out form, you will be to appear for interview and do other parts of citizenship process. West mention that handling the paperwork and going through complex process is impossible for many immigrants. West argue “Even with

Every year people from all over the world, leaving their homes and moving to the United States. These people are willing to sacrifice themselves in the hope to start a new life, to find an opportunity for financial support for their families, to give a chance for their children have a better future in the safe country. Some of them immigrate in order to find freedom or relief from political and religious persecution. Each of these brave persons has a big reason to leave a Homeland, family, friends, work and all elements of a human’s life without even a possibility to come back home one day. According to recent changes in the immigration law of the U.S., not everyone, who is

Citizens who are born in the United States sometimes take advantage of the system and are still considered “citizens.” This is unfair for the immigrants who work, pay taxes and are trying to become a citizen of the state, but have to go through a long and complex process. However, others say that immigrants come here illegally into the country are breaking the law, but most of these immigrants are desperate to start another life and earn money to send back home. Also immigrants do not understand the slow and long processes to be allowed in another country.

There have been millions of people that are immigrants who try to become a citizen, in the United States. As far as they can become citizens, is as far of American history knowledge they have. The Naturalization Civics Test makes a person become a citizen a bit more easy. The Naturalization Civics Test is important, because even if you get 6 answers correct on the test, you still have a fifty percent chance to pass. The question was intended to be harder and more difficult to answer but became easier, if you study your history it’s an easy pass.

So what does citizenship means to me? Is it just a piece of paper that says you are a citizen of a country or does it mean something more in a deeper level. When I was just a little boy my mother always talks about that when we move to the United States we should apply for citizenship immediately. As I was growing up here in the United States I slowly understand what citizenship means to me. Being a citizen for me is fulfilling my obligations toward my country, Living a lifestyle that benefits myself and my community and having good sense of patriotism.