Posted on 07/04/2006 6:59:23 PM PDT by Graybeard58
Everyone born in the United States is an American citizen from the moment of his or her first breath. But once a year, in a courtroom at the federal courthouse in Macon, new Americans are born in a different way.
Hailing from countries that include Vietnam, Pakistan and Russia, ranging in age from teen to elderly, they become Americans through a tedious process that sometimes takes years.
It ends with raising their right hand and taking an oath that includes a vow to defend their new country in arms if required.
Until six years ago, citizenship ceremonies for this area were held individually in offices in Atlanta of what was then called the Immigration and Naturalization Service. But U.S. District Judge Duross Fitzpatrick wanted to return to having the ceremony in the courtroom in Macon. Since then, a court ceremony has been held each June. A ceremony also is held in Columbus, which is part of the judicial district.
On June 20, in Macon, 32 men and women from countries around the world became Americans.
"I think I can say without worry or contradiction that this is a red-letter day for each and every one of you," Fitzpatrick told the group before the oath was administered by Nora Paul, operations specialist for the court district. "It's something that we take for granted, those who were born here."
For some, such as 25-year-old Thao Xiong of Thailand, becoming a citizen is a practical decision.
"You don't have apply for a green card every six or seven years," he said. "Everything will be easier."
For others, citizenship is about more than convenience.
"It's a wonderful feeling of pride," 60-year-old Sundar Reddy, a native of India, said after he took the oath.
Reddy operates a grocery store in Columbus with his wife and daughter, who have already gone through the citizenship process. After living in America for 13 years, Reddy said, he decided after the Sept. 11 attacks to seek citizenship.
"People are feeling more and more patriotic," Reddy said.
Before the oath is administered, a microphone is passed to each applicant, who states his or her name and country of origin. Countries represented at the ceremony included Vietnam, India, Taiwan, the Philippines, Kenya, South Korea, Laos, Mexico, Haiti, Swaziland, Peru, the Dominican Republic and the United Kingdom.
Fitzpatrick mentioned that he had visited some of those countries.
"I have been to a lot of different countries," the judge said at the ceremony. "I loved it and had a wonderful time, but I never felt the same going to another country as I felt coming back to the United States. When I set foot here, I felt I was back to the promised land."
He added that by becoming naturalized citizens, the new Americans now enjoy the same rights as every other American, except for one.
"You can never be president," he said, drawing laughter. "But that might change. I think there are some supporters of (California) Gov. (Arnold) Schwarzenegger who want to change it."
The ceremony has the feel of a graduation. Many friends and family attend in support of the new citizens, who were all applauded as they stated their names. After the oath, smiles and hugs were abundant, and many accepted Fitzpatrick's offer to have photos taken with him.
The process of becoming a naturalized citizen is lengthy and the rules somewhat complex. Many at the ceremony said the process took about a year. A couple said they have been working at it for several years.
It all begins by requesting form N-400 from the Citizens Immigration Service and sending in a $390 application fee.
Immigrants living in the United States illegally, or those convicted of violent crimes, are not considered for naturalization.
The basic qualifications, with various exceptions, include that an applicant must have permanent-resident status in the United States for at least five years, speak English and have "good moral character." Applicants also must pass a civics test, and be interviewed by a Citizens Immigration Service agent.
Congress created a process to become a naturalized citizen in 1790. The process as it is today was created in the 1920s, said Citizens Immigration Service spokesman Chris Bentley. Nearly all American citizens today, except for American Indians, had ancestors who went through a naturalization process of some kind.
Among the benefits of immigration are the right to vote and the ability to travel abroad with a U.S. passport.
The importance of immigration is recognized even in the Declaration of Independence issued 230 years ago today. The grievances against the king of England listed in the document include the following:
"He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither."
Fitzpatrick pointed out that his own ancestors came to America in 1720 from Ireland. His great-great-grandfather migrated to Georgia in 1785.
"We are a land of immigrants," he said.
In 2005, about 600,000 people became naturalized citizens. That's about normal, Bentley said, with an average of 500,000 sworn each year for the past 10 years. The biggest aberration was in 1996, following an amnesty offer, in which 1.04 million people were naturalized.
There are no numerical limits to the number of people who can be naturalized, Bentley said, and anyone who meets the qualifications and successfully completes the process will be allowed to take the oath.
One impediment, however, has been the task of processing the sheer number of people applying. In January 2004, Bentley said, the Citizens Immigration Service had a backlog of 3.4 million applications. After a concerted effort to streamline the process, without compromising national security, according to Bentley, the backlog is now down to 400,000. The average time to complete the process is less than a year, he said.
Because of the background checks and requirements of naturalization, Bentley said, naturalized citizens are productive citizens.
"We have an assurance that people who make it through the process are here because they are fulfilling the American dream," he said. "They are not being a drain on our society."
To contact Wayne Crenshaw, e-mail wcrenshaw@macontel.com.
*****
THE OATH
All naturalized citizens are required to take the following oath:
'I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.'
Applicants do not have to swear to bear arms if they belong to a religion that forbids it.
*****
AMERICAN CIVICS Here are a few sample questions from the civics test that immigrants must pass to become naturalized American citizens (answers below):
1. What is the highest court in the United States?
2. Who wrote 'The Star-Spangled Banner'? 3. In what year was the Constitution written?
4. Who becomes the president if both the president and vice president die?
5. What kind of government does the United States have?
6. Independence Day celebrates independence from whom?
7. Who said 'Give me liberty or give me death?'
8. What was the 50th state added to our union? 9. Whose rights are guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights?
10. What are some of the basic beliefs of the Declaration of Independence?
Answers
1. Supreme Court 2. Francis Scott Key 3. 1787 4. Speaker of the House 5. A Republic 6. Great Britain 7. Patrick Henry 8. Hawaii 9. All people living in the United States 10. That all men are created equal and have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
The Oath is something every public school child should be required to memorize. The words seem to mean more to those who come to America that to those who are born here.
Many "Americans" take so much for granted, I doubt many of them even consider what their citizenship actually means or what it's worth. I'd say these new American's cherist the citizenship they earned.
Ahhhhh - Speaker of the House? I'm ashamed to admit I don't know this! My paternal grandparents, who were German immigrants, would be spinning in their graves!
Yes; Speaker of the House. I had to look it up.
Ah yes, I remember the oath although it has been several years since I took it. Thank you for the post.
That's the claim but to cut the backlog examination of backgrounds were done, on average, in about 6 minutes/applicant. Takes longer for your arrest/warrant record to be processed during a traffic stop.
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