Citizenship Week: Tell Congress why citizenship is worth fighting for!

Each day this week we have featured stories of citizenship, in the lead-up to today’s Citizenship Day event. Right now, hundreds of community members and leaders from across the country are meeting in Washington, DC to come together with one united voice for real social change. Immigrants, non-immigrants, young and old, from different backgrounds and races, are coming together to walk the halls of Congress and demand that our elected officials truly represent the voice of the people.

This is citizenship at its purest; civic engagement that works for the improvement of our communities and our country. We have seen the controversy in the health care debate and we have seen immigrants used as scapegoats and political bargaining chips. Today, we want to remind Congress that we are committed to the fight for comprehensive immigration reform. We are committed to fighting for the citizenship of millions of people who live in the shadows of this country while also sustaining and enriching it. Today, we are asking people across the country to tell Congress why citizenship is worth fighting for.

Why are you fighting for citizenship? What does being a citizen mean to you?

We want to lift up your stories, so that Congress has a clear view of why immigration reform is so important to millions of people in this country.

There are three ways to send us your story:

On our blog: You can submit your story as a comment on this post.

On Twitter: Please use the #citz hashtag and your story will automatically be submitted.

From your cell phone: Text CITIZEN to 69866 and respond to the message you receive with your story of why citizenship is worth fighting for [text CIUDADANO for Spanish]

Today, as we celebrate Citizenship Day, let’s make sure we send a message to Congress and the administration; we are committed to the fight for immigration reform because citizenship is the basis of our democracy and the foundation of this country.

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Jay

As a teacher of English to non-native speakers for 17 years in a migrant agricultural area, I have come to know many immigrants eager to learn English and to gain citizenship. The general public clamors for immigrants to learn English as soon as they arrive in our country. My students who are farm workers or work at food processing plants often work 12 or more hours per day. They also have families including children who need time with their parents. It is difficult for a worker to arrange to be away from their family for 12 hours a week of school every evening (those on shift work at meat packing companies are able to attend in the AM).

Our local Community College has been serving 800 students per quarter. Due to the downturn in the economy we have experienced budget cuts that have reduced our ability to serve ESL student to 400 per quarter with resulting teacher lay-offs by half of our staff. This will delay the long process for students to learn English and study for the citizenship tests. It is an arduous process for immigrants to provide income, housing, food, and medical care for their families while also making the time commitment to citizenship preparation. But these immigrants continue to fill our classrooms in their desire to become citizens of the USA. We desperately need to open an avenue to citizenship for those who have been working to provide food for all our tables. We need these workers as much as they desire our citizenship.
zweety32

A Perspective from the Other Side of the Border

A life of 19 years I lived as an immigrant in the U.S. was shattered in an instant when I was deported and sent back to my native country just three weeks ago. I now find myself trying to restart my life in a country that seems so foreign to me.

My parents made the decision for me to immigrate to the United States, of course for the same reason many do, to provide a better life for their family. As a result, since the age of nine I found myself being part of a class of people that live under the shadows due to their undocumented status. However, although many have and still continue to make judgments and create stereotypes of “illegal aliens,” I choose not to be labeled by them.

I excelled academically in school, graduated top three percent of my high school class, I went to a university and received my degree in addition to being an active participant in the community through the countless hours I volunteered to further social causes. I then began my professional career doing what I am passionate about; helping others. As a young professional, I lived a very responsible life; I continued my commitment to better my community, I paid my taxes, I become involved politically and encouraged others to be civically engaged, and did more than most people who are born in the U.S. and who the right to vote choose to; but at the end all of that did not make a difference.

The way immigration laws are currently designed did not offer a means for me to become a legal resident. I explored all options to be able to process legal residency, but because my family and I fell victims to an unscrupulous individual who began a fraudulent immigration case, I was out of luck.

With no immediate U.S. resident/citizen relatives to petition me, with no option of being sponsored by a company, the unanimous response I received from all other attorneys I consulted was to either: (1) continue to stay in the U.S. until some type of immigration reform could help me or (2) decide to go back to my country. I had so many of my friends encourage me to find an American citizen to marry so I could fix my situation, but I always opted out from playing the system like so many do. I wanted to do things right.

But three weeks ago, there was another choice that was made for me. Before immigration reform could arrive to provide me a pathway to citizenship, Immigration and Customs Enforcement found me on my way to work. After being held captive for over 8 hours and treated like a criminal in a detention center, I was put on a bus back to Mexico with nothing more than the purse I was carrying when I was arrested.

I have always being a survivor and if I lived an accomplished life in the Unites States, I am certain I will be able to do the same in a country where at least I am legal. I have no concern that I will do well and continue to pursue my dreams with the education and experienced I gained in the U.S. It is a tragedy that someone like me, due to bureaucratic technicalities, was not allowed to continue to be a productive citizen of a country that had given me so many opportunities.

Unfortunately, the U.S will continue to be so divided on the issue of immigration with an ongoing debate that will probably go on for many years without finding any real solutions. But in the meantime, the impact of not having comprehensive immigration reform is very real. I hope that my story demonstrates has demonstrated that.
http://www.reformimmigrationforamerica.org/blog/citizenship-week-tell-congress-why-citizenship-is-worth-fighting-for/trackback/ Connie

I am an American lesbian who by a chance of fate found my life partner in 2003 in Portland, Oregon. Unfortunately at that time I was also an American who was ignorant of our immigration laws. I had fell in love with a non-American and we were a same-sex couple. My partner had made a claim for asylum in 2002 but had missed the one-year deadline passed by Congress in 1996. And so after 2 lawyers and almost $10k in fees we were told in no uncertain terms that we should consider our Canadian options. In 2005 we both had to leave everything behind and head for Canada. So I have been living in forced exile from from country since for no other reason but what sex my partner is. Even with some states recognizing same-sex marriage the federal Defense of Marriage Act still prevents me from sponsoring my partner to who I have been legally married to since 2005. So I ask where is the freedom? Yes some will say just live in Canada but the fact is I shouldn’t have to. I was born and raised in the United States and my partner lived there too for almost 16 years. She paid taxes and was never in any kind of trouble. Her brother who came with her at the same time is still there because he married a US citizen. I am happy for him yet down deep I have so much anger. Here he is enjoying his adopted country and I am a citizen forced to live in Canada so we can be together. There is definitely something wrong with this scenerio. Please call your Representatives and Senators and ask that they support the Uniting American Families Act, The Reuniting Families Act, and the Respect For Marriage Act of 2009 which will repeal the DOMA.
Elizabeth

Citizenship is a great beacon of hope, opportunity, and freedom. It is the hope of brighter tomorrows. It is the opportunity to cultivate dreams, to harvest gifts and talents, to pursue education, to serve the community, and to enrich the nation. It is the freedom to dream without ceasing, to reach higher and higher, to truly live in peace and harmony with family, friends, and community.
gisela

enogh of englis…….DIGAN LAS COSAS COMO SON , POR QUE LA VERDAD ESTOY ARTA DE PUROS EMAIL Y COSAS MARAVILLOSAS Y DEMAS DEUDOS , PERO QUE SE HACE NADA…. QUE PODEMOS HACER NADA………QUE SIGNIFICA TODO ESTO DE FIRMAS Y DEMAS ?? NADAAAAAAA.ENTONCES PRECIONEMOS , COMO ?? HACIENDO MARCHAS Y COSAS POR EL ESTILO. PERO COMO PODEMOS HACER ALGO CUANDO MUCHOS LATINOS EL DIA DE LA MARCHA ESTABAN TRABAJANDO??? CON ESE MIEDOO Y AGACHAN LA CABESA Y SIGUEN TRABAJANDO ….. LA VERDAD ESTOY ARTA DE ESCUCHAR CUAN GRANDE ES ESTE PAIS Y LO POCO QUE ESTAMOS PARTICIPANDO. YO ME PREGUENTO PARA QUE SIRVE ESTOS EMAIL QUE GANAN CON MANDAR ESTO SI ES COMO UN CHAT DONDE NUNCA LLEGA A NINGUN LADO , LE MANDE UNA CARTA A BOB MENENDES YY QUE GANE???? NADAAAAA OSEA ALGIEN ME PUEDE DECIR PARA QUE SIRVE TODO ESTO ??? MI EXEPRIENCIA PARA QUE LA QUIEREN , JUNTEMONOS Y HABLEMOS DE LA VIDA SI QUIEREN PERO CUAL ES LA GRAN HAZANIA DE CRUZAR PARA MUCHOS O DE VENIR EN UN AVION PARA OTROS ME PARECE CON TODO RESPETO UNA ESTUPIDES……..PERDONEN PERO LA VERDAD PENSE QUE TENIAN ALGUN TIPO DE PODER OSEA DE IDEAS PARA PODER HACER ALGO…. ESTOY MUY CANSADA DE TODO ESTO…….. PERDON
Chicago Native

My folks emigrated here in the ’50s. Back then, there was a draft and my Dad volunteered early to get it over with. He was sent to basic training and then to Germany (instead of to Korea). He got out and married my Mom. He went into electronics, insurance & is now retired.
http://theworldaccordingtosandra.blogspot.com/ Sandra

U.S. Citizenship- Wow. The concept seems so foreign to me. I’ve spent most of my life living and loving this country. My parents brought me here when I was ten years old. In the 23 years that I have been here, I went to school, I worked and paid my taxes and I volunteered and got involved with my community. My degree is in Criminal Justice. I couldn’t apply to many law enforcement jobs because I was not a U.S. Citizen. I was on the Dean’s list twice. When I applied for a loan to pay for school I was denied because of my immigration status. Yet, I had been a taxpayer for 7 years. I took a 6 week training course to become a domestic violence victim advocate (all volunteer), yet I could not volunteer in the end because the volunteers were based out of the Police Dept. and since I wasn’t a US Citizen, I could not pass the background check. For a volunteer position. This weekend I will spend both days in a training course for “Organizing for America”, Obama’s organization for getting involved in the community, and the country. During the election, I donated to the campaign and volunteered at the phone banks. Yet, I cannot vote. I get frustrated when people say they do not vote because they don’t think their vote makes a difference. I want to vote and get involved but I can’t. While I was married to a U.S. Citizen, my case had been on appeal. In 2003, I was deported. Literally picked up at my house, in handcuffs, and taken to a detention center, and the next day dumped at the border, in a country I had not known or lived in for the last 20 years. The irony of it was that I had a degree in Criminal Justice and was working at the Superior Court at the time. U.S. Citizenship for myself and my family would mean no more fear of that knock on the door again. It would mean having my brother back in the country. I miss him so much. Being a citizen would mean being recognized on paper, for what I already do out of love for this country. Citizenship is is a verb, not a noun, not a possession and certainly not something you take for granted just because you happened to be born on the right side of the border. Citizenship is about your actions. Are you involved in your community, do you help others, do you educate yourself. Are you a hard worker? Isn’t that the reason we are all here? To work hard and live a better life in this “land of opportunity”? Isn’t that why the founding fathers came to this country ILLEGALLY?!?!?
hanuar medina

We camo from Colombia 10 years ego and i apply law 245I at 2001 and until now we are waiting to resolve our status of inmigration. We love this country, my son born here, please help us to live here free, i want to know my new family in my country, i want to be a normal person in this beautiful country, all time i have been working contributing , gave me a chance to be happy with all my family.
Prisca

Part of being a citizen of the United States is caring about what is right and what is not right about your country. This means upholding the good and opposing the wrong.

Unfortunately, the scale has tipped on the “wrong” side, the treatment of undocumented immigrants being a glaring wrong that needs to be corrected.

I have been questioned by some about my sincerity in opposing the wrongs committed against immigrants since I am 100% Caucasian and descended from the early settlers.

I can only say that wrong is wrong, and you don’t have to be the “wronged” person to feel it. Born a U.S. citizen, I will never be apathetic about our moral failures just as I will try to celebrate our moral victories.

As citizens, we must change the things that are wrong.
Greta Kennedy

My husband is from Nigeria,We been fighting immagration for 5 years now, and he’s still not a citizen yet. We spent more than 10,000. dollars in lawyer fees, Now we are filing an appeal, and that’s 6,000. more dollars, My point is My husband works everyday and pay taxes, my husband is good enough to pay taxes,but he’s not good enough to be a citizens of the USA. My husband is just looking for a better life and opprotunity. He have no criminal records. America stands for freedom and thats what these immagrants are looking for.
tonica

I am a 17yr old immigrant and i wish i was a citizen. So many people who are citizens take it for granted, because they have not been in our position. And they don’t kno how it feels to not have all the privilages that they have.Being a citizen of U.S.A is a blessing and honor and 1 day i will get it.
Uma Lekkala

Is 9 years of legal visa status in good standing as a student with 3.84 GPA and Worker for government organizations in advanced skills with good credit history, no criminal record, paying taxes on time, paying ssn, medicare and medicaid and paying all immigration fees to maintain my status not enough to qualify to contribute more to this country as a citizen? My GC application is pending with the Atlanta DOL center for the last two years. Who will hear to tens of thousands in my situation? Waster 9 precious years of my productive life in this country for what? Is 9 years of excellent standing by all ground in this country not a qualification to get that GREEN CARD which is valid for 10 years. How many more years should I wait for this temperory permit of 10 years that will allow me to TEACH which is considered a no go as per my current H1B restriction that wont allow me to pursue career of my interest just because the field of education I opted in august of 2000 is not a fit? When will I be able to work for the mployee of my choice and work for whoever demands me more without all these H1B restrictions tied to my Employer? Why should all the financial institutions pay three to four times of the salary they would otherwise directly pay me? Is the TARP restriction to not employee H1B as employees really helping the nation when companies are opting for skilled consultants who could do the work on CONTRACT basis paying a lot to the middle vendors because they could not directly hire us as permanent employees? Is this really helping America? Is trying to help america by trying to start a small business, Teach or extend my career goals in fields of need a SIN? Please tell me AMERICA!
Yuli.

Short Simple and To The Point…
I will not tell you how hard it was for my parents to get to America..we all know the left brother sisters aunts and even some husbands or wives..
We are here!With education jobs pay taxes own house cars have friends family boyfriends but most importantly have an American Spirit to be someone,who ever We want to be. Proud of my culture will never deny where i came from,but know what this country has taught me…Fight for what i believe,for what my parents believe…We are here!
susan

I am very happy to see so many comments that paint the true picture of those suffering due to the inability of receiving legal status in this country. I am an American citizen who volunteers to teach English to a family from Mexio. They have become an important part of my life. To make a very long story short I will say to all those in government who have the ability to move immigration reform forward “PLEASE GIVE THESE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO RECEIVE LEGAL STATUS, CONTRARY TO POPULAR OPINION…WE AS A WHOLE WILL BE MUCH BETTER OFF FOR IT.”
Elodia Resendez

My grandmother’s side of our family had relatives who lived in the San Antonio area when Texas was part of Mexico. They still live there. One of the men served with the Confederacy and one served with the Union Army. Many look at us and assume we are in the USA illegally. Weren’t they taught any United States history in school?
Sandy

After 8 years legally in this country and still waiting for Permanent Residency I cannot imagine how long and how much it would take to become a citizen. I am the spouse of a H1B and for the first 5 years I was not able to work, open a bank account and did not really exist in the eyes of the law apart from having a drivers licence. Having to explain to everyone that I am legally here to our bank and Mortgage company even with my name on all paperwork they would not speak with me. We live each day with uncertainty of not being able to truly feel that you can put down roots, the stress and heartache when after convincing our sons to leave their own country and friends for a better future only then having to tell one of them that he has to leave his family and go back home because he turned 21 before we could apply for residency to no family not knowing when he can come back legally and your other son and fiance wants to get married but told that if he does he will have to start all over again with the residency process and pay all over again and trying to explain that to future relatives and citizens who at that point had no dealings with the immigration process. Something has to be done unless you have experienced it you cannot imagine what it is like. After being invited to this wonderfull country we have truly questioned if it is all worth it We have yet to experience this freedom we have heard so much about. Please get them to change the system soon.
jennifer

Our family immigrated from different parts of the world. I am proud to hold on to my spanish heritage, my jewish heritage and my english heritage. the history of my families journey to america is remarkable. those who lost every man in their family to WWI were on the last boat to leave england during the war and from there one mother and two girls (one was my grandmother) made their way to finally settle in california. another woman is touted as being the oldest woman in history – keeper of the keys for san gabriel mission. at one time owned the majority of southern california but due to antiquated laws had to remarry when her husband died or stand losing the land. too bad, her husband a general in the spanish army and sons then gambled the land away. many in our family established the wild wild west from sheriffs to serving in the armed forces for generations. None of use are native americans we are what america is and proud that others dreams to be american just as our families did.
http://okili.chipin.com Sabrina

I am a US born citizen as are both my children now aged 21 and 17. My ancestors immigrated to the US over 100 years ago. My husband has been here for 28 years and has had a difficulty becoming legal all this time. He entered the country legally on an F1 Student visa, Dec. 15, 1981. When he overstayed the visa he married someone and applied for an I-130 w/ that person, but shortly thereafter the marriage did not work out. He was in the process of getting a voluntary departure when he and I met, fell in love and got pregnant during the time of the waiting for voluntary departure. We married, and wanted to apply through the marriage, but they would not allow him to apply through a marriage again since he’d done it once. (Come on folks, this is not Traffic school, this is human life!). They wanted us to leave the country for a few years and come back to apply for him. As I have a very large family, everyone was excited about us having my first baby, and I was not going to leave the country to have it. At that time we found out about the Amnesty of ’87 -’88 of which he appeared to qualify for. We applied, and our Government gave him temp. legal status (paid for it every single year w/ hard earned $) for a whopping 15 years (!!!) while the Amnesty was pending approval. Can you believe, after we had our 2n’d child, bought a house, started a business, been paying taxes every year, 15 year later (!!!) they DENIED his Amnesty!!!! At that point we asked, can we apply through our marriage NOW since we’ve been married 15 years w/ two children, etc, etc. The answer was NO you must leave the country for a few years before you can apply. My husband is African (Congo) and French (dual citizen). We do not speak French, nor do the kids! This would be a horrible uprooting of the family, and the children’s stability in their school lives, our community we’d developed, business, etc! We were told by lawyers, AND Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey to Lay low till the laws change, or leave the country. Well, we decided to just go about our lives assuming we would at least get a letter demanding that now that the Amnesty was denied he must leave the country. WE HERD NOTHING FOR 9 years! On April 20, 2009, our US tax dollars paid for 3 unmarked ICE vehicles and 6 ICE Agents to drive an hour from SF to our front door where he was literally accosted in the street, w/ no warning and arrested for a 25 year old overstay of student VISA! I said, what about the years of Amnesty, our family, etc. They said, step back Ma’am, here’s the address where we’re taking him in SF. Well, they took him there, and before we could see a judge the next day for a bond, they whisked him off to an AZ detention facility with thousands of others, a privately owned prison corporation called Correction Corporation of America (they receive approx. $120 -$150 per day in Govt. Tax dollars to house “illegal” immigrants, sometimes for months on things like not having a drivers license. I went through 3 months of living hell while he was there, terrified that he’d be deported any day – he would be barred from the country for 25 years if he were deported. THANK GOD a lawyer in WA state sued the Government in a class action law suit regarding the same Amnesty Program my husband had applied for and been denied. Turns out there are thousands of people effected by unreasonable untimely delays in acceptance or denial of the Amnesty Application. Fortunately my husband qualified for the class action law suit and has applied. There was no reason for my husband to be detained while the new application is pending so luckily they let him out. But we are still fighting for our rights. I, and my children are fighting to have the same rights other US citizens have, the rights to our husband and father! The BOTTOM LINE HERE IS: Our immigration system is broken because it’s trying to look at human beings as if they are traffic violators. It’s either a black or white answer you are not allowed to drive drunk because it kills. But when it comes to relationships of human beings it is quite complex. There is no black and white answer. You can’t say, oh you broke a law related to overstaying a student visa 25 years ago. People fall in love, have children, families are created, communities are created. There needs to be a VERY STRONG FAMILY UNITY PROVISION IN PLACE. I understand if a guy comes here illegally and has only been here 6 months, maybe there are reasons for him to not stay here. But there needs to be a statute of limitations for TIME, and FAMILIES! Someone in a story above mine, mentioned her husband of 40 years and they have 3 American born children and he’s been deported, THAT IS A HORRIBLE SHAME AND A SHOCK! WE Need reform for human beings unity NOW!!!! (And Not to mention ALL THE MONEY THEY COLLECT IN APPLICATIONS, Plus tons of lawyers that suck the blood out of you at exorbitant rates like $300 + per hour!!!
Ricardo Cobar

I’m a common person, I’m not a US Citizen, I’m not a permanent Resident Alien, I’m still waiting for a change in the law to regularize my status. Meanwhile I’m growing my kids with very strong moral bases and I’m serving the Country where I’m living. How I do that? I’m a volunteer. I’m helping my city serving my time as a volunteer with the local fire departmens. As a graduated firefighter on my country I learn the high value to help saving lifes and goods, preventing and helping on disasters. I’m now a Disaster Service volunteer who helps on fires, or shelters or any kind of calamity giving my knowledge and my best effort to bring help who need help or to help to the people who is providing help. This is my passion, I don’t care if my English is poor or if I’m not a legal alien or a citizen, what I care if when the phone rings and my Fire Department require assistance I go to my car and drive to serve. Or with the American Red Cross in a shelter for families victims of a fire or whatever happen. I’m don’t care on status, I care on my roots, I’m a human, I’m a person with training to provide help and I do it for free.
In my “normal” life I have my own company who pay taxes and keep the economy moving on this great country.
Who want me to leave? if I do things for US what the real US citizens don’t do… what I’m doing wrong?
My kids are doing great at the school, my 2 daughters are also volunteering for the City and my wife is volunteer at the school. We do more than “normal” things and we need more people doing the same to make this Country a better place to live.

Thanks for the space to write about me and my family.
http://AOL Lisa

We are all citizens of the world. If we don’t open our gates and show kindness to our fellow brethren we have violated our so-called humanity. I am an English as a Second Language professional who has seen students from all over the world of every socioeconomic and literacy level work “like dogs” to achieve their goals. I am also a spritual woman who believes in “tikkun olam”, the Judaic principle meaning “repair” or “fix” the world. WE MUST REPAIR AND RESURRECT our broken immigration system so the Statue of Liberty becomes a true living symbol of our country’s freedom and welcoming standard!
Tina

When a person (such as myself) is a U.S.-born citizen and her husband cannot become legal in this country, it causes incredible pain and suffering for herself, her family, and her entire community. Help keep families together so that we can contribute to making America great!
Sandy

I am a US citizen, born and raised here in the US. I always assumed that I lived in a free country, with fair laws. I have recently fallen in love with someone who is the same sex as me and is not a US citizen. When we first started our relationship she told me that there is no legal way for her to gain permanent residency or citizenship in the US because she is a lesbian. The only legal way for most people to gain citizenship is by marriage to a US citizen and under current law the US citizen must be of the opposite sex. I did not believe that this could be true, how can it be that the only way to come here is to be forced to marry someone of the opposite sex? Is it no wonder that there are fraudulent marriages? If I was not a lesbian, my Partner could be working towards her citizenship right now, instead, we fight for the descrimination to end. We fight for the passage of UAFA, RFA and the repeal of DOMA. How can such blatant discrimination against same-sex couples be happening in the USA in 2009?

Did all of America forget how this country started? Does anyone remember that this is the country built by immigrants? Do people understand that there are hundreds of thousands of hardworking immigrants in this country that contribute to their communities and are helping to make this country what it is? I always thought that illegals should be punished because they should follow the law — now I learn that there is NO LEGAL way to come here — so how do we expect them to follow the law?? Lets fix our immigration system first. Give people a legal means of entering this country and the problem of illegal immigration will cure itself. America, wake up! Remember where you came from and how you got here and be compassionate… support the passage of UAFA, RFA and the repeal of DOMA and lets get immigration reform passed to make the system fair to all human beings.
Milka

My parents came here in 1951 from Germany after both of them had been held captive there under the Nazi regime. They chose not to return to their respective homelands but came to the United States to start a new life. Both my parents and my brother became citizens as soon as they were able to speak a good amount of English. They all took great pride in becoming Americans. Since I was born here, I was the only one that was a naturalized citizen and that means a great deal to me because this is my homeland, and although I am proud of my heritages, I am extremely proud of being the first in my family to be American born. God Bless my home sweet home.
http://www.crossculturalcomm.com Dr. John W. Cavanaugh

My great grandfather came to this country from Ireland and worked as a coal mines of Pennsylvania and survived 9 collapses. When they dug him out the last time, he moved the family to Boston. There my grandfather owned a trucking company until the Great Depression struck. He struggled to feed his seven children much like is depicted in the movie “Cinderella Man” and would not accept public assistance unless they let him sweep the floor of the relief office. He became a taxi driver and did that for the rest of his life. My father rose up from the Boston public housing projects and earned an ROTC scholarship to MIT. He eventually founded his own acoustical consulting firm and retired as a Colonel in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Having been born in Boston into an Irish Catholic family in December of 1963, my parents named me “John” in honor of President Kennedy. As we struggle with today’s economic recovery and other tough issues such as immigration policy, we should remember that not long ago, “HELP WANTED: No Irish Need Apply” signs were placed in many businesses across the country which may explain why the successes of the Kennedy family have been such an inspiration to so many Irish-Americans and other immigrant families.

Our nation lost a great champion for immigrants when Senator Kennedy passed away. It is now up to the rest of us to continue his work.
Gricelda

For me citizenship means being able to contribute in a positive way to society, whether it be through community service, to make give back to the community and serve those in need, or make contributions to the economy through our education and careers. In the Spring of 2008, I received The President’s Award for Volunteering. I have volunteered and given back to my community since I was in high school, and throughout my undergraduate years I continued to give, whether it was by tutoring children at a local center or being actively involved in my campus community. I know that I am asset to this country; however, I can’t share with such pride that I am citizen of this country. My dream, is to have the opportunity to one day obtain citizenship, so that I may use my college degree in the career that will contribute to this country, that will allow me to help people through my career, and make an impact in society. However, in the mean time, I can only continue to volunteer and work in jobs such as being a Nanny or housekeeper, which is nothing wrong with that, but what is wrong with this picture? I got a college degree here in this country, which I have learned to see and call home, and yet my opportunities are limited, simply because I lack 9 digits. I ask any supporters here to continue supporting immigration reform efforts, I like many in my situation only want the opportunity to legally work and are willing to put the effort to go the extra mile, I just ask for an opportunity, not a free ride….thanks :0)
JTaveras

I came to New York in March of 1988 from a small town in the Dominican Republic where the biggest news was “Poor Mrs. Martinez Broke her leg while walking her dog this morning” where if you did something wrong in school, your parents will know about it from the neighbor before you made it home, where is 80 degrees almost every day there the biggest building was the church across the street from the park. So to say it was a cultural shock to arrived to New York in the middle of March is the an understatement. I was 13 years old, I didn’t speak the language, and I didn’t know anybody but my mother and my two brothers. I remembered before my trip I would asked my dad that had travel to New York before, “What is New York like?” He told me, “You might not understand what I’m about to tell you now, but some day you will, seen New York for the first time, is like looking at your soul mate for the first time, it takes your breathe away and you fall head over heels in love with it” I didn’t understand what my father was telling me, HOW CAN YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH A CITY?!?! but as I looked out of the plane window that night, I saw the Twin Towers, the Empire State Building, and all the lights I understood what my father had said to me and in my young heart that night I did fall in love with this city like no other, I always tell people that my first love is New York City. I have travel to other countries and nothing feels like home to me, and my home now is New York City. I made little goals when I arrived to New York. My first goal was to learned the language. I always thought, and it is still my way of thinking today, that if you go somewhere you need to make an effort to learn the language and culture of where you are. I thought, if an American moved to Dominican Republic we would expect him to learn Spanish. So my first goal was to learned English. I started to watched TV in English, I didn’t understand a single word that was said. I told my mother that I wanted to take all my classes in English, I didn’t want to be in the ESL (English as a Second Language) anymore because all my classes were in Spanish and the only class I took in English was the ESL class with all of my friends that spoke Spanish. I knew if I wanted to learn I needed to make a sacrifice, so on my Freshman year in High School I transferred to take all my classes in English, that first semester, instead of straight A’s I was used to I failed all my classes except Math and Gym because I was not required to speak but I took advantage of the opportunity given to me, I studied hard and three month after my transferred, I could understand English and a year later I could speak and read the language. In my country of birth, if you don’t have the money, you cannot go to school, if you do not have the money, you cannot go to college, if you don’t know someone that knows someone, you cannot get a job that will allow you to support your family. I know for a fact that I would never would have gotten the chances I got here back in my country.

Now I’m a US Citizen and this is my country. The day I got my certificate, I remembered crying, I was so happy, I press that certificate to my heart I couldn’t not stop looking at it. That piece of paper means the world to me. It is proof that I am part of something big, a country that open the doors to me and my family and gave me the chance to reach my potential. I take pride in voting every election, I take pride in serving as a Juror and I work as a paralegal in a Immigration firm helping people achieved their American dreams. I tell my clients when they get their Alien Card, “Your green card is a privilege not a right, take advantage of this privilege. Don’t waste you time and dreams. The only thing that can stop you from getting where you want to go in the United States is yourself.” Now I’m going to take my chances in another goal, Law School, I want be an Immigration Attorney and continue to give the chances given to me to other people.
Jim

To this nice lady Amanda… I will ask you… do you know of ANY legal way to move to the US that is not ridiculous? Do you know of ANY legal way to move to the US that does not involve bureaucracy, a whole deal of money, “connections”, (much) more money, and more bureaucracy? Do you know of ANY legal way to move to the US that takes less than 10 years to obtain legal status? If you have the answer, please share it with all of us, since it seems like you’re the only one that knows how to do it. And let me tell you, please get informed of how broken the Immigration System is before you make the assumption that the US economy is bad just because of the immigrants. Learn about immigration, learn about history, learn about politics, and learn about economy before ridiculizing yourself with such biased comments. If I were you, I’d be ashamed of being so ignorant…
Swiden Torres-Torrijos

I am a proud US Citizen also proudly married to a Mexican born citizen. On September 12, 2008 my husband and I had an appointment with immigration in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. My husband cannot return to the US for 10 years, that is what the counsel decided was the “fair” punishment for him for crossing the border 9 years ago illegally. I do not agree with this punishment. My husband came to this country and pursue and education graduating with a degree in accounting. He also helped at church and volunteer for other community projects. I think that was never taken in consideration. When I hear people saying that immigration officers see every case and take a decision base on that specific case, I have to say that I disagree. All the good things that my husband did to this country, even save a life of a US citizen cooworker, were not taken into consideration when the crucial decision of allowing him or not was made. I pray that our immigration system gets fix soon, because many families are suffering the consequences of the negligent of our politician to come into an agreement on an immigration reform.
Mary

Citizenship meant for me to live together in the USA with my child who is American citizen…I sleep well because I did pay my own undergraduate and graduate education in without any scholarship for tuition and running expenses, in the particular the “taxpayers money” in the USA. In addition, I even did file tax returns as a resident by mistake (was not aware for the existence of the tax treaty and special forms for non-immigrants), paying more than I was supposed to do…I raised my child, almost on my own, with the assistance of my parents rather by the American system…Anyway, I am grateful to my American friends that assisted me around delivery period because I needed to cease my contract due to the pregnancy which was not fair…but what you can do…It is every female trade off, facing the discrimination for having the healthy baby that will add value to the future of the system. This is the reason I kept my family name to my daughter, beside the reason the father was not present, in order to face another type of discrimination by another country (“X”) saying that I need to change my daughter family name in order that X country authorities to grant “residence permit” for my daughter. This might jeopardize all efforts I put so far because X country and the USA do not have reciprocity laws. My negotiation power will be lower than that of the father if the worst case scenario happens and I might end up without the child. Thus, we are in the “limbo period”…I could not be with her on the American soil (except for the tourism), and she is not granted permission on my current residence soil. The only solution I could see without risking anything is to look for a country (“Y”) and start from scratch as I did start here (new language, new job etc). The USA only did gain with us…the USA could not find better ambassadors in the world than us…However, we faced fun, fun reality…
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rita

ITS all about famiy. i am a us citzen but just to think when my mom talks about her brother when she was small he crossed to the us and never heard of him .She dont know if he lives or not if i have cousins,we dont have the money to make search i wish i could do more for her.so many years
GloriaS

For me, citizenship has been the difference between being living and being treated as a second-class humam being, to a productive individual with rights and responsibilities to my great country the USA. I became a citizen in 2004, after a lenghty, confusing, and convoluted immigration process. I was fortunate enough to have my family help me with all the forms that had to be filled out and to keep an eye on the attorney that took my case. If it hadn’t been for them, I’d be probably living in the shadows. Although my life has changed tremendously for the better, it is the life of my son that I’m so broken hearted for. He became 21 years old shortly after me becoming a citizen and because he did not have anywhere else to go he stayed with me here, putting him in out of status. My son is trying to live his life as normal as possible, sometimes he wonders if a country with a political party (Republican base) that demonizes immigrants is worth fighting for. I tell him that it is only a few loud mouths which have used 9/11 as an excuse to scare and fill with anger and hate the debate about the real great contributions immigrants do to this country. There are those who definitively need not to be in the country because they have criminal records, but for the great majority of undocumented immigrants, there must be given hope and an opportunity.
God bless you all, thanks for the jo you do!
RACHEL

TO ME THE AMERICAN DREAM HAS BECOME THE AMERICAN NIGHT MARE. I AM AN AMERICAN CITIZEN OF MEXICAN DESCENT AND EIGHT YEARS AGO I MET A WONDERFUL, HARDWORKING MAN FROM MEXICO CITY. UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE OF THE CURRENT LAWS OUR MARRIAGE HAS BEEN PUT ON HOLD. WE ARE SCARED TO EVEN TRY AND APPLY FOR HIS RESIDENCY BECAUSE WE HAVE KNOWN MANY FRIENDS WHO HAVE BEEN GIVEN 10 YEAR PUNISHMENTS. PEOPLE SAY “WELL IF THEY WOULD JUST DO THING THE LEGAL WAY..” AND I ASK WHAT LEGAL WAY??? IF THAT WHERE AVAILABLE PEOPLE WOULD DO THAT!! IF THEY WOULD NOT MAKE IT SO DIFFICULT DON’T THEY THINK PEOPLE WOULD DO THAT?? THIS IS SUCH A SAD SITUATION TO SEE FAMILIES TORN APART..HARDWORKING PEOPLE LOSE THEIR JOBS…I AM DISGUSTED THAT OUR CONGRESS CAN’T AGREE TO FIX THE IMMIGRATION SITUATION.
Kim

This is what being a US Citizen means to me:
-Live freely and successfully, never applying or taking one cent of public assistance in 50 years
-Meet and marry a productive tax paying citizen of Mexico living in the US without authorization in the US for more than one year
-Cultivate a strong and successful marriage for 6 years
-Work hard mutually, paying taxes and serving the community in visible ways
-VOLUNTARILY decide to apply to adjust immigration status of spouse, to “get in line and do the right thing” that conservatives, and the system tells you to do
-pay repeated fees for services that are not performed; pay again to request that services be performed after you document that they were not
-meet every single criteria case law states one must meet (and prove it) to receive an adjust of status
-pay again and provide more documentation
-pay again and provide more documentation
-pay again and provide the same documentation
-pay again and provide the same documentation
-pay again and again and again and again
-be informed that your hardship of being seperated for 10 years as a couple is not “extreme” enough
-provide more documentation that your family is being financially and emotionally destroyed by your seperation
-pay again
-pay again
-pay again
-pay again
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A US CITIZEN IS TO BE DEPRIVED OF MY LIFE, MY LOVE, AND MY FINANCIAL SECURITY at 50 years old without reasonable rights within a system that is broken and a government process that is self-policing and provides absolutely no remedies or actions of recourse from its own inadequacies.

Is it any wonder that the idea of “getting in line” and “doing the right thing” is a rarely observed and ridiculous notion?

K.A.-Minneapolis, Minnesota
Rob NG

I was born here in the United States and I have always been so very proud to be a gay US citizen. In the past two years I have come to realize how broken and discriminatory our immigration system really is. We don’t have any control over who we fall in love with but I have fallen in love with someone from Argentina. My partner has visited the United States four different times and has always returned home without overstaying his visa. I wanted to sponsor him to go to college here in the US. He was accepted at the college and the last step was to have his visa interview for a student visa. This was the quickest way that we could be together plus give him a good education, a much better education than he would have received in Argentina. When he went for his visa interview he was denied a student visa with unwarranted excuses that he was applying for the wrong type visa. The interview did not believe he was going to go to school and he was coming here for other reasons. He applied again and was denied again for another unwarranted reason of not having enough ties to Argentina and not having the funds for going to school. The interviewer never looked at his information that would tie him to Argentina and he had my bank records clearly showing I had the money in the back to pay for his education. I’m sure the interviewer thought we were in a relationship but we were told by the college and an attorney NOT to say anything about a relationship. Just say we are friends. The US Government does not recognize same-gender relationships so they automatically deny any visa requests. Then he recently applied for a visitors visa and was denied again. With all the illegal immigrants here in the US not paying taxes and getting taken care of if they are sick but if someone wants to come in legally, they are treated like they are criminals and kept out of the country. Also, if he were a woman I could have brought her here with no problem with immigration. This is where our immigration system needs to be fixed to allow all families to be together and not treated like second class citizens. Support the repeal of DOMA and The Uniting American Families Act and the Reuniting American Families to fix the broken immigration system and to allow loyal, law abiding people to come to our country, to be with our families, to pay taxes and become citizens.
Rob NG

I was born here in the United States and I have always been so very proud to be a gay US citizen. In the past two years I have come to realize how broken and discriminatory our immigration system really is. We don’t have any control over who we fall in love with but I have fallen in love with someone from Argentina. My partner has visited the United States four different times and has always returned home without overstaying his visa. I wanted to sponsor him to go to college here in the US. He was accepted at the college and the last step was to have his visa interview for a student visa. This was the quickest way that we could be together plus give him a good education, a much better education than he would have received in Argentina. When he went for his visa interview he was denied a student visa with unwarranted excuses that he was applying for the wrong type visa. The interview did not believe he was going to go to school and he was coming here for other reasons. He applied again and was denied again for another unwarranted reason of not having enough ties to Argentina and not having the funds for going to school. The interviewer never looked at his information that would tie him to Argentina and he had my bank records clearly showing I had the money in the back to pay for his education. I’m sure the interviewer thought we were in a relationship but we were told by the college and an attorney NOT to say anything about a relationship. Just say we are friends. The US Government does not recognize same-gender relationships so they automatically deny any visa requests. Then he recently applied for a visitors visa and was denied again. With all the illegal immigrants here in the US not paying taxes and getting taken care of if they are sick but if someone wants to come in legally, they are treated like they are criminals and kept out of the country. Also, if he were a woman I could have brought her here with no problem with immigration. This is where our immigration system needs to be fixed to allow all families to be together and not treated like second class citizens. Support the repeal of DOMA and The Uniting American Families Act and the Reuniting American Families to fix the broken immigration system and to allow loyal, law abiding people to come to our country, to be with our families, to pay taxes and become citizens.
Cynthia Lagunas

CITIZENSHIP is WAY overrated. As a WHITE AMERICAN CITIZEN, what I have found out from my government is that I am NOT free as I have been taught my entire life, that the GOVERNMENT can CHOOSE whether my HUSBAND can be with me in AMERICA (The land of the Free…) or if he has to be in MEXICO. That IS NOT FREEDOM. I have learned that the politicians play to the people in power and to who has the MONEY to invest in causes THEY are interested in. The AMERICAN GOVERNMENT is no less corrupt than the Mexican Government! I have learned that my CITIZENSHIP MEANS NOTHING when I write to my SENATORS, REPRESENTATIVES and PRESIDENT. All I get are form letters that don’t even address the concerns raised in my correspondence. I have learned that the UNITED STATES REQUIRES that all immigrants wishing to gain citizenship MUST DENOUNCE their home countries in order to be awarded citizenship. MEXICO offers DUAL CITIZENSHIP…why can’t the US? As I said, CITIZENSHIP is way overrated and is NOTHING what our forefathers had intended it to be. SOMETHING that the government needs to be reminded of is: UNLESS YOU ARE A NATIVE AMERICAN, YOU ARE AN IMMIGRANT! THE NATIVE AMERICAN RACE IS THE ONLY RACE THAT HAS BEEN HERE FROM THE BEGINNING!
rosanna wilson

God bless all of you who are looking out for us, as a mom i came here togive my son a better life, we strugled through livivg with families being lonely in a crowd, we got through that even though we were promised sponsorship did’nt get it, my son give up before finishing high school , went to canada where he was born, he is having a hard time, nothing is worse than worring about a child who is away on his own and i am limited to help him, my story is i am still hoping to reach the citzen gold, be able to pay my taxes, get my papers just to do normal things then i can sponsor my son back here where all his friend are,it will be great to be a part of this life, a part of this great country.
K Klynstra

I am a citizen born and raised here, however I have seen the effects of a broken immigration system within my family. I could write a book about how I feel and the sadness my sister and her little girls are facing since her husband was deported back to Mexico and told he cannot return to the US for 10 years, his only crime – crossing the border. What I think is important to get across is the unorganized, non-communicative system called our Immigration system. One section of our government gave my brother-in-law a permit to LEGALLY work in the US, another part of the government gave him a permit to LEGALLY drive in the US, another part of the government gave him a permit to LEGALLY marry in the US, while the other part of the government removed him from his home and the family he felt safe to build as he waited for his final citizenship papers to be filed. So while several areas of the government gave him the LEGAL right to live as a citizen of the US he waited years (10+) for the immigration system to send him packing. Why is it okay that it can take years for your paperwork to even go through the system? Each case should be reviewed and decided upon by the facts. Someone that has committed crimes in the US while waiting trying to received citizen should not be treated the same as someone who simply made a life, worked and paid taxes, contributed to the US economy and the community in which they live. Immigration Reform is necessary.
Amanda

To me, Citizenship means not having my 5 year old son separated from his father. I have been married to the man of my dreams for 4 years now and I have been with him for 7 years. You can’t help who you fall in love with, can you? It just so happens that I fell in love with an illegal immigrant and I will fight for his rights “until death do us part!” There is no reason to kick out all the illegal immigrants in our country. In my personal opinion, the economy went down hill since all the BS with illegals. Businesses are going bankrupt and homes are being left behind because our GOVERNMENT couldn’t make any changes and still cannot decide what they are going to do. I pray that they will make changes, and soon! The only law my husband has ever broken is walking across the border with no passport or visa. How many Americans have walked across one of the US borders with no passport or visa??
Victor Aguirre

is important because is many people who have a dream and sometimes that dream stop because we can move , we scared to show aur work or talent. Am gay for that and is very important.
Jose barrientos

To whom can please help us………………………….. September 17 2009

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My name is Jose Guadalupe, I writing you I desprit help from anyone that can help me and my family. It all started in 1979 my father came here to help our family because we were poor; in 1986 my father got status as a lawful permanent status by president Ragen. When my father went to the uscis in Texas to fill the papers and show proof of how long her had been here and were he was working and all documents he needed, and started the color process to become a lpr he finished all he had to and got status, the immigration officer never told him about the follow to join act, or anything for the rest of the family. In my father found an attorney in Texas and paid him 900 dollars to fill a I-130 pet ion for my mother and was told that the kids that were underage would gain status to and come with my mother, this was 4-30-2001, the attorney and the uscis told us that if they needed anything else from my father they would contact us. The address on the pet ion was my father’s addresses were he lived my uncles still lives there. We never got a receipt letter or an approval notice. We contacted the attorney and he stated he had got a receipt letter and would send us a copy never got it. Every time we would call to get information they would say they haven’t heard anything or just wait. On July 11 2002 we received a receipt notice. April 22 2002 we got a letter from the united states department of justice Texas service center asking for additional evidence of two passport pictures of my mother and father and a G-325 biographic information, Also so that same day we requested the o in Gomez be corrected to an a for a Gamez. April 29 2002 we got a letter from the attorney starting to come to the office that they need to get the pictures and the bio and we had 12 weeks to bring them. May 3 2002 my father went to the office and gave the pictures and took a copy of the bio to fill out, July 5 2002 my father went to the attorneys office and filed the G-325. After all this that was it they said they were going to contact us and never did. December 19 2002 my mother passed in her sleep. My father not think about the pet ion and worried about my sisters who at the time were really young worried about them. July 2007 I found uscis papers and started looking at them and found a receipt number for my mother and called uscis to see what happened with my mothers case they said go you have a receipt number I gave the woman the number she said sir your mothers case was approved July 24 2002 and that the case was arrived there and told me what I had to do for them to pull it back out, called everyday since then and they cant give me a reason why her pet ion was never sent to the NVC to go to the next steps. THey just told me you can’t do anything but wait. And they would send us a letter showing what was going on with her case and we again never heard a word. Finally on July 29 2009 I got to talk to a uscis worker and I told him the story he told me that I need to ask for a service request for an expedite for them to send the pet ion to the nvc for the next steps, Also was told July 14 2002 to file a service request to get a non delivery of the approval notice cause we never got one. July 24 2009 was denied the service request and told to file an I-824 to get a new one. July 2 2009 I got a letter starting documentation submitted meets the requirements for expedite processing of your pet ion. You should receive a decision in 60 days. Today it has been 81 days and no letter or nothing even when I call they can’t tell me if it’s going to the NVC for next steps. I don’t know what to do now. And that’s only one of my problems me and three sisters were on that pet ion, me im 26 now Catalina she’s 22 Maria she’s 19 and Gabriela she’s 17 and has a baby, we were told that the child protection status act will help us and some say no. The problem im having is that I have been here since I was 14 years old I went to school here in Texas and I have my diploma I have always paid taxes and filed taxes I speak and can write English I also have a loving girlfriend and a son that’s 2 years old and one due September 25. I have never got in trouble by the police or anyone. I really need help not for me but for my kids. I talked to many attorneys and they just want money and me to file a fiancé pet ion to get married to get papers that’s not fair, and if I fill an I-130 for unmarried son of an lpr I will have to wait at least 14 years. My father was told that we would get some status from my mothers pet ion and I was 17 when it was filed, My mother didn’t plan to die she just went, my father isn’t well either and we never no how long he’s going to last, I have my sisters in Mexico to take care of and my family here please help its not my fault the USCIS never sent the pet ion to the NVC. My mother’s priority dates were 6 months ago and the pet ion still sits wait for what time to run out. Please help us. You have a bigger voice then we do I have called everyday for 4 years and still nothing you are my last resort please help me and my family.
ulises

People I hear getting so upset about immigration reform are usually of recent (100 years or so)immigrant stock themselves. What are they so afraid of? Are they afraid the racial balance will change? Are they afraid of people who are bilingual or multilingual? Do they think the U.S. is too crowded? Are they afraid that immigrants may cost more dollars than they contribute? Are they afraid immigrants equal a rise in crime?

Because I know some people who do not have papers to work but yet still paying taxes on everything just like us when they buy food ,transportation,enery ( gas, electricity),comunications (Cellphones,Cable,Internet)and at the work place, when they get pay their taxes are alredy taking out and they know that at the end of the year when they get their W2`s they wont be able to claim any social security, or a refund or anything else for the matter So what we are saying is,is ok to pay us your taxes but we dont care how you make the money as long you do so
Some one once told me, If you see somebody that isnt so bless as you and they are under the wheel try to help them because when you are on top of the wheel you can help but when you are under the wheel you will need help.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=106664592945&ref=ts Jorge-Alonso Chehade

Dear Members of Congress,

My name is Alonso Chehade and I qualify for a legislation based on Earned legalization; the DREAM Act. Unfortunately I am facing deportation on September 25th of this year.

Citizenship week has made me think lately what does it mean for me to be an American and I have come with the following:

For me to be an American means that by living in a country with great power comes a big responsibility: the responsibility to realize and be grateful for all the opportunities one has in this country that many in other parts of the World don’t; the responsibility to get a full education and never stop learning; and the responsibility to become a future leader of positive change. Being an American means that one should be grateful everyday to be living in this great country and a sign of gratitude should be to contribute back to society.

I consider myself an American because even though I was born in Peru, during these past 8 years I was shaped by this nation. I learned all the chapters of the American story and absorbed its culture and values. Through my completion of High School and four years of higher education; I was trained to dream big, work hard, and never stop self improving.

The DREAM Act, a legislation based in Earned Legalization; or Comprehensive Immigration Reform is very important to me because it would allow me to take the next step in my life. A step that after these difficult times that I am going through, it has woken up a part inside of me that is eager to help and bring change to as many as I can.

Sincerely,

Jorge-Alonso Chehade
Alumni, Class of 2009
Business Administration
Michael G. Foster School of Business
University of Washington
Frank

Considering how there are nine times more Irish living in this country than in Ireland, I wonder how many more Chinese would’ve settled here had the Exclusion Act not been enacted that specifically prohibited the immigration of one race into the U.S. As a result of this racist law that was on the books for over 60 years, many resorted to coming here illegally as “paper sons.” What makes those who of European descent with their sense of entitlement feel only they have the right to immigrate here when they merely grabbed the land from the American natives who arrived from the Asian continent 10,000 years earlier and then practiced cultural genocide and ethnic cleansing upon them? Are they the ones who were truly illegal?
Jacqs

I was an assylee in this country, now resident, and I waiting for my citizenship. To me this country is my real country, here I have felt more protection and respect of the country where I was born. This beautiful country adopted me and I fall in love about its democratia and principles of work and struggle to be getting better, I’m happy to fight for out of the crisis, because this country so great, so loving needs our support and confidence to overcome crises, long live for United States of America!.
Elaiana

I am currently a College student with an R-2 expired visa, not because we wanted to but because some people meaning they were lawyers took adventages of our ignorance if it could be called that, because of the new law in Missouri I cant continue my Associates degree because my papers got expired in 2007, I cant drive or work because of this matter… now i have to travel every two weeks to Arkansas so I can get my last class I needed to get my Associates degree! It is not fear sometimes to be in a place without any kinds of papers but IF GOD IS WITH US, WHO AGAINST US???? I am trusting that a miracle can happen and my family and I would be soon back on a legal status…
Amanda

We don’t need to change ANY laws in our constitution. Especially so people who are illegaly coming to this country ,who people have given their lives to protect, can bleed it dry of jobs, tax-funded services, and SPACE. Then take OUR money BACK “HOME” and live like kings. I was born in this country and have worked since I was 16 and payed taxes since I was an adult. I’m tired of watching people take the easy way out and not taking resonsibility for not following laws. Instead of killing our country-why not rise up and try to make your country more like ours instead of bleeding america dry. If this keeps up we won’t b the appealing place we once were. Do paperwork and take tests to become a citizen-if u still can’t join TOUGH COOKIES LIFE ISNT ALWAYS FAIR
Bill Roberson

Something to consider: I volunteered for over 15 years with the elderly with Alzheimer’s disease. ALL of the full-time health care aides were immigrants, many without legal status. This is one of the most difficult jobs I can imagine, the aides often spending 24 hours at a time with an often seriously impaired elderly person in 3 days shifts. Don’t they deserve to be legally recognized? And if anti-immigration proponents had their way (send them back) the care of many of our elderly would be put in serious jeopardy. Having an aide to watch and care for them enables family members to work, knowing that a caring and responsible person is looking after their parent or loved one.
Jimena

I lived in the US for 25 years as a permanent resident but 2 years ago I became a citizen. I was born in Mexico City, I don’t “look” Mexican so I grew up hearing many stereotypes. Now as an adult I understand why my parents decided to move the the US. We did not cross illegaly and had the same reasons for migrating as the millions of people that migrate today. Over the years I have seen the system fail terribly and consider myself lucky to have been a resident and now achieve citizenship. I did not hire an attorney and it was a nightmare so I can only imagine what it is like for others to try to go through the legal process. Everyone deserves the opportunity to apply for residency and/or citizenship. It is very surprising and irresponsible for this problem to be pushed to the side while millions of hard working, honest people are being exploited by attornies, employers, coyotes, etc. Most of who I’ve met over the years would be outstanding citizens of this country. It’s a shame we are treating people like this in this country! This has to be resolved now.

Citizenship Week: Tell Congress why citizenship is worth fighting for!

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