Immigration has become very controversial over the years which makes this a very sensitive topic for many people. Many people support the idea of Immigration but many people have a problem. The first major step to Immigration was the Naturalization Act of 1790. The Naturalization process was originally for foreign-born children. The guide to the Naturalization process allowed “free whites” who had lived in a U.S residence for 2 years and had a Clean record with the law an opportunity to become U.S citizens under the Naturalization process. During this time, Congress declared that children not born on U.S. soil/territory would automatically be considered natural-born citizens as long as their parents were U.S. citizens.
The DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program was first established on June 15, 2012. This program was intended to help protect undocumented children from deportations. DACA also provides work permits for children once they come of age or for children who are already of age. The program’s protection expires after 2 years of having it, requiring one to renew it. When it comes to renewal of the DACA program USCIS can choose to deny your renewal application if one or multiple of the forms required are incomplete. USCIS can also choose to deny your renewal application or your first-time application if you have a criminal record or if you are a threat to public safety. Although DACA gives you protection from deportation, it can be taken away if you are convicted of a Felony or misdemeanor.
The citizenship process is long and very complex. Multiple things might not allow you to qualify for citizenship. Despite all of this, the process can take anywhere as early as 5.5 months to 9 months. First, you have to be at least 18 years old and you must be a permanent resident for at least 3-5 years. It is recommended that you be a resident for 5 years or more since that would make the process a little less complicated. After that, you have to answer a set of questions. Some examples of the questions to check eligibility are: During the last five years, I have not been out of the United States for 30 months or more; during the last five years I have not taken a trip out of the United States that lasted one year or more; I can read, write, and speak basic English, etc. The thing most people don’t know is that there is a fee to apply for citizenship. The Application fee is anywhere from 380$-760$. It also depends on the type of application you fill out. A paper application is normally 760$, however, an online application is around $710. If you are eligible for a reduced fee you can pay as little as 380$.
Today, both documented migrants and undocumented migrants struggle all the time. 42% of the food we love most is produced by undocumented immigrants. Many undocumented immigrants need to live paycheck to paycheck, and most of them have to work multiple jobs to support their families. President Trump has made multiple comments on changes he would like to make for Immigrants today. According to immigrationforum.org, during the campaigns, President Trump promised to make mass deportations not only for undocumented Immigrants but also for people who are protected under the law by programs such as DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), DED (Deferred Enforced Departure), and TPS (Temporary Protected Status). These mass deportations would also affect individuals protected under Humanitarian Parole Programs. However, Advisors have stated that they will target people with criminal records along with people who have gone through the immigration court process and have gotten an order of removal.
The main objective of this article is to have people learn about what’s going on in the world regarding the new immigration policies. People need to be informed, especially for those who may be affected. The topic of immigration has long since been a controversial one, and the reality is that many people are afraid right now. At the end of the day, we are all human beings and everyone deserves to be treated as such.
