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TAKE ACTION: Stop the “Second Wall” Blocking Citizenship
Dear Leaders of the Korean American Community:
Over the past weeks, we have witnessed an increase in attacks against the immigrant community. Last month, congress threatened immigrants with various anti-immigrant bills aimed at lawful permanent residents and undocumented immigrants, finally passing the Secure Fence Act, which is an enormous waste of our thin national budget.
At the same time, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is also constructing a silent wall, which will hinder many legal immigrants from obtaining their U.S. Citizenship. We stand together to strongly oppose proposed USCIS administrative initiatives that make up this wall. The proposals together may make it impossible for poor, less educated, and limited English proficient immigrants, who are eligible for citizenship, from naturalizing.
The following are proposed USCIS administrative barriers to U.S. citizenship that cause great concern:
· USCIS is considering raising naturalization fees from the current $400 to $600 or even $800. For a family of four, naturalization could cost $3,200
· USCIS is considering an online application system that would make it harder for those who lack computer knowledge or for poor families without access to computers to apply for naturalization
· If the USCIS goes through with making electronic filing mandatory, it will increase the length of the naturalization application from its current 10 pages to 29 pages, with the addition of the 19 page online “pre-application.”
· USCIS is developing a new naturalization test to be introduced in January of next year. The initial draft includes obscure, misleading questions and difficult essays.
To deny immigrants willing to naturalize the door to the American Dream by raising exclusionary measures runs counter to our Democracy. We believe America should welcome immigrants who constitute this nation’s hardworking workers, families and neighbors.
The Korean Resource Center, a Los Angeles affiliate of the National Korean American Service and Consortium (NAKASEC), is requesting your organizational endorsement of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) letter which urges USCIS to put a stop to these prohibitive proposals. Twenty three House Representatives have written a similar letter to the USCIS. We urge you to join in, along with other Korean American organizations in pressuring USCIS to halt erecting new barriers to would-be-New Americans.
You can find out more about the national campaign to stop the USCIS from carrying out its administrative proposals by going to www.krcla.org/135/ and reading the fact sheet and other information. To view the sign-on letter by ICIRR please visit: www.icirr.org/storie.. or view the email attachment . Should you have further questions please contact me at 323-937-3718 or djyoon@krcla.org.
Sincerely,
Dae J. Yoon
Executive Director
Korean Resource Center
