The Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, has filed a lawsuit on behalf of legal Latino immigrants, in order to speed up naturalization. The suit charges the Bush Administration with failing to grant citizenship and the right to vote to those entitled to it. They argue that applications must be completed within the 180-day standard set by Congress. They also argue that the Bush Administration did not follow regulations when it ordered the FBI to intensify background checks.
The delay means that a large group of Latinos, eager to weigh in on urgent issues like immigration and the economy, will not be able to vote. To see what immigrants have to say about the issue, read more.
The New York Times reported on the story today and quoted a legal Mexican immigrant, and resident of the US since 1990:
I want to be a citizen yesterday, not tomorrow. I am really worried about the economy, and the deficit is too much. I need to vote.
It seems to me that there should be a consistent and predictable process for becoming a US citizen. Do you think the delays amount to disenfranchisement of individuals who would be American citizens, if not for unfair bureaucratic delays? Or, is the extra time necessary to make sure only the appropriate people become US citizens?
3.1 Phillip Lim
Orlando Orlandini
Balenciaga
I think the delays aren't as necessary as some would like us to believe. Here we have people going through the proper channels who aren't being acknowledged or recognized, and they should be.
Somehow, though, this doesn't surprise me.
1Immigration in most countries bot rich and poor is a very very frustrating process.
2Nya, I agree. It's just a frustrating process. I would like to look at numbers to see if/by how much applications for citizenship have increased in recent years. I wonder if an increase in applications could be part of what's slowing the process down. (I don't know for sure that there is an increase, but with the Hispanic/Latino population increasing so rapidly, I would guess that there is.)
3I think that many areas of our government are falling behind because of lack of funding. I read somewhere that 16,000 bridges that were due for inspections this year had their inspections delayed because of lack of money to get it done. This is even after what happened in Minnesota!
I don't think that there is some big conspiracy to keep new citizens out. They probably just don't have the man power to get it done because it isn't a priority to the Bush Administration, and non-priorities don't get adequate funding.
I feel like there are so many, many areas of our government that have been neglected because of lack of funding. Bridges, new citizens, veteran's services..there are just so many areas that are in dire need. I don't see how McCain can prattle on about no new taxes.
4"Or, is the extra time necessary to make sure only the appropriate people become US citizens?"
Pray tell, who are the "appropiate" people?
5But to answer the question I think it is more the former, the disenfranchisement of individuals who want to be citizens.
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