The reasons are not so different than those of immigrants coming from other countries
This contribution to the blog post comes to you from Phoenix, Arizona. I’m traveling to assist a client with her claim for asylum. Since I’m currently out of state and because naturalization seems to be a hot topic at my office these days, I wanted to share with you a story from the Boston Globe.
In a nutshell, there has been a noticeable increase in immigrants from Africa who are choosing to become U.S. citizens.
As some of you may know, I spent some time in the Bay State at a law school on Huntington Avenue. So, stories from Boston will occasionally pique my interest.
Said James Witte, director of the Institute for Immigration Research at George Mason University: “It’s a dramatic increase. We’re seeing it with both [black Africans and black Caribbeans], but particularly with Africans. This is happening not only in Massachusetts, but across the country.”
The article points out a common theme amongst new citizens from all continents: “Though becoming a citizen gives them the right to vote, many immigrants said the surge toward citizenship is more personal than political. U.S. citizens can bring relatives to America faster, qualify for more scholarships and financial aid, and are protected from deportation. For many, US citizenship is a point of pride.”
As I have mentioned before, the current 10-page application version will still be accepted until May 4, 2014. I have assisted clients from every continent (except Antarctica) and from across the seven seas. If you would like to discuss the naturalization application process, I invite you to contact me.