Immigration and Citizenship

Citizen•A citizen is a member of a community who owes loyalty to the government and is entitled to protection from it.

How do individuals become citizens?

•An individual becomes a citizen of the United States by birth or by the process of naturalization.

Citizenship by Birth• There are two ways to become a citizen of

the United States by birth:1. By being born within the geographic

borders of the United States or any of its territories. (jus soli)

2. By being born to parents that are citizens of the United States or if one parent is a citizen who has lived in the United States. (jus sanguinis)

• U.S. citizens may hold dual citizenship.

Immigrants and Non-Citizens

• An immigrant is a person who comes to a country with the intention of living there permanently.

Legal and Illegal Immigrants

• A legal immigrant is someone who has come to the country with the permission of the government, while an illegal immigrant has come to the country without the government’s permission.

Aliens

• An alien is an individual who lives in a country but is not a citizen of that country. (To be classified as a legal/illegal alien it is the same criteria as for legal and illegal immigrants).

Citizenship by Naturalization

•The process by which a person that is not a citizen by birth becomes a citizen.

Naturalization (7) Steps

1. MUST ENTER THE COUNTRY LEGALLY

2. File a Declaration of Intention with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

3. Immigrants must spend a certain amount of time living in the United States (Most 5 years; 3 years if married to a citizen)

• 4 - During this time, immigrants must study English, American History, and Civics. A basic knowledge of each must be demonstrated.

Naturalization Steps Continued5. An application for naturalization must

be filed with the USCIS. A fee of $675.00 must accompany the application.

6. If approved, the immigrant meets with an immigration examiner. If the examiner is satisfied with the immigrant’s responses to a series of questions, then the immigrant is ready to be a citizen.

Continued

• 7. The immigrant takes a loyalty oath to the United States. After taking the oath, the individual is officially declared a US citizen.

Video Clips

• We will watch the following video clips:

1. Becoming a U.S. Citizen: An Overview of the Naturalization Process

2. The USCIS Naturalization Interview and Test3. New citizens taking the Oath of Allegiance in

Arizona and New York

Links

• www.uscis.gov• http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/

region_phoenix_metro/central_phoenix/nearly-200-take-the-oath-and-become-americans

• http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=7533698