Articles Posted in Citizenship

On October 13, hundreds of people from across the nation will be gathering in Washington and across America to tell Congress that immigration reform can’t wait. We encourage our readers to take action as best as you can. If we want for a major reform to pass this time, this has to be an effort taken by all of us nationwide.

October 13 is the day! Thousands of supporters will descend on our nation’s capital on Tuesday to lobby Congress in person for progressive immigration reform. But they can’t do it alone! If you can’t make it to Washington to meet with your Representative personally, you can still make a difference with a simple fax or phone call.

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Since the last fee hike in 2007, it was only a question of time until discussion about more Immigration fee increase will be a hot topic. U.S. immigration officials are considering another possible round of fee increases and budget cuts next year, prompting concern among immigrant rights groups.

The agency is facing a $118-million revenue shortfall this year in part because applications for citizenship and skilled worker visas are below projections, according to officials. Citizenship applications plunged to 58,000 last year from 254,000 the previous year in the Southern California district. Most experts blame the decline on a fee increase of 69% to $675 in 2007.

Immigrant advocates said, that any additional fee increase would severely hamper legal immigrants from pursuing citizenship. “Right now the high cost of citizenship is putting the dream of naturalization out of reach of low- and moderate-income legal permanent residents, and any future increase will just make the situation worse,” said Rosalind Gold of the National Assn. of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund in Los Angeles.

We now know that Immigration, especially illegal immigration is a big part of the American Health care debate. President Obama’s prime-time address to Congress and the nation on health care prompted a Republican congressman to shout “you lie!” when the president covered Health coverage for illegal Immigrants.

The President said that his proposal would not cover illegal immigrants, a remark that prompted Republican Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina to shout “You lie!”

The president is correct: The House bill contains a section (Sec. 246) titled “NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS,” which states: “Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.”

President Obama promised during the election campaign that Immigration reform will be high on his list once elected president. Speaking to Hispanic reporters at the White House, Obama said last week he hopes a bill for comprehensive immigration reform will be drafted by the end of this year.

Obama tapped Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on June 25 to work with Congress to speed up immigration reform as senators warned another failed effort could doom chances for a generation. Obama said he asked Napolitano to meet regularly with lawmakers to systematically work through a number of controversial issues, such as how to handle the 12 million illegal immigrants already in the United States and how to prevent future illegal immigration.

The president has been criticized for not following through on a campaign pledge to tackle the issue this year. He has urged the Democratic-controlled Congress to start pushing now to pass legislation.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said there are not enough votes for the Obama administration to achieve its desired immigration reform, and change in the system as we know it today.

The plan was derailed when conservative activists, who claimed the program would have constituted “amnesty” for illegal immigrants, managed to pick off enough Republicans in the House and Senate to forestall a vote. Gibbs said that the White House would make an effort, though, to win the votes for a reform plan, for which President Obama reiterated his support.

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President Barack Obama will gather congressional leaders at the White House next month to launch a policy discussion on immigration, according to an administration official, but legislative action isn’t likely until next year at the earliest. he June 8 meeting is meant to show the White House is moving on the issue — which is key for Hispanic advocacy groups that helped Mr. Obama get elected in November.

Mr. Obama has embraced the general concept of creating a program to provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants already in the U.S., while continuing to tighten the border with Mexico.

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