nwasianweekly.com
August 11, 2007

Citizenship fees emptying pockets

It just became twice as hard for immigrants to become American citizens.

On July 30, new prices took effect that almost double the cost of naturalization, from $330 to $595. In addition, it now costs $455 to bring a foreign fiancé or fiancée into the country — up from $170. And to receive a green card, or permanent legal residency (the first step to becoming a U.S. citizen), you’ll need to fork over $930 — almost triple the previous price of $325.

The government claims the fee hikes are needed to keep up with the costs of doing business. We, however, think there must be better ways to raise money for the Citizenship and Immigration Services agency — ways that don’t saddle immigrants with more problems and challenges than they already have.

Two decades ago, immigrants were paying less than $100 to become American citizens. The costs have skyrocketed so much that some people, we’ve heard, now have to borrow money to make their dreams happen.

The most appalling thing about these rising costs is that they’re being forced on the people who can least afford them. Many immigrants are struggling to survive as it is. A worker earning the minimum wage of $5.85 must save every last penny for more than four weeks in order to obtain a green card. Having limited technical and English-language skills, most immigrants don’t make a lot of money, yet they are expected to support their families with these meager incomes — relatives in America as well as those in their native countries. They shouldn’t be forced to choose between feeding their families and citizenship. Becoming an American citizen should be an affordable and painless process.

We question the need to raise prices so high. The costs don’t seem to justify the work. Does it really take that much manpower to determine if someone is a felon?

If the government needs money, it should find other ways to get it. It can tax any number of services and goods. We just don’t think it should fall squarely on the shoulders of immigrants, many of whom don’t have that kind of money to spend. If they do, it would be better spent on education for themselves and their families than on bureaucratic paperwork.

Used to be that some people didn’t care about becoming U.S. citizens. They just didn’t see the need. But more people are coming to understand the importance of voting and the kind of economic and social security that U.S. citizenship provides. If they have proven themselves to be good residents of this country, then they should not be kept at bay.

Besides, we don’t want to live in a nation that denies citizenship to people who can’t afford it.

Send correspondence to:
Northwest Asian Weekly • P.O. Box 3468 • Seattle • WA  98114
Tel: 206.223.5559 •  Fax: 206.223.0626 • Email: info@nwasianweekly.com
Please bookmark this site: www.nwasianweekly.com.