What it Means to be a U.S. Citizen
There is no doubt about the fact that citizenship and immigration are hot topics in our political and social worlds. What with our president Donald Trump pushing for immigration reform and tighter borders, it seems as if that is the only thing being reported on the news.
Fairly recently there has been talk about modifications being made to the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution, specifically nullifying birthright citizenship. The current questioning of what citizenship should be defined as made me want to look into what being a citizen of the United States truly means, past the textbook definition.
What also sparked my interest in finding the true definition of U.S. citizenship was the fact that more than half of my peers in one of my courses failed to pass a citizenship practice test. As part of their journey to citizenship, applicants must take an oral test on United States’ civics which envelops history and government. Out of 100 possible questions, applicants are asked 10 and must answer at least 6 correctly to pass the civics portion of the naturalization test.
But how do you even become a citizen if you were not born in this country? The answer lies in a hefty amount of applications, documents, and fees.
If successful in passing the naturalization test, one can theoretically enjoy what being a U.S. citizen entails by law; specific rights, duties, and benefits. This includes the right to vote, run for public office, a U.S. passport, federal benefits and assistance, job opportunities, and to sponsor family members for a green card.
Citizenship, however, can run deeper than just being able to vote and to get a passport. To many, it means not having to hide who you are from the government and from yourself. It also means not having to deal with the unfortunate prejudice and hatred that comes with being an immigrant.
“Citizenship to me is more than a piece of paper. Citizenship is also about character. I am an American. We’re just waiting for our country to recognize it.”
- Jose Antonio Vargas
While it seems as if there is no singular definition as to what makes up a U.S. citizen, it is evident that everyone, documented or undocumented, are people and not pieces of paper. It is important to remember this if we want to progress into a society that is fair and just to all.
