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Millions refuse U.S. Citizenship
Miami Herald ^ | 09/18/03 | ALFONSO CHARDY

Posted on 09/18/2003 9:38:43 AM PDT by bedolido

IMMIGRANT RESEARCH

Poor language skills and pride in national origin are two reasons why nearly eight million foreign residents eligible for U.S. citizenship have not applied, according to a study released Wednesday.

Mexicans and Canadians are among the nationalities least likely to apply for citizenship, the report by the Washington-based Urban Institute found. Historically, there have been millions of immigrants with green cards who have not sought citizenship for various reasons, but this is the first time a study has focused on the issue.

''Despite rising naturalization rates, the pool of legal immigrants eligible to naturalize remains strikingly large,'' the study said.

OFFICE CREATED

To encourage more applications, the Bush administration this week announced the creation of the Office of Citizenship.

Eduardo Aguirre, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said in a recent interview with The Herald that his goal is to eventually naturalize one million new citizens per year. In 2002, about 573,000 foreigners became citizens.

''We share many of the same concerns in the Urban Institute brief,'' said Dan Kane, a spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Typically, surges in naturalization applications follow changes in federal immigration law. A record 1.4 million applications were submitted in 1997, a year after Congress tightened immigration laws. Applications soared again after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks when more restrictions were introduced.

OTHER REASONS

Other reasons that dissuade foreigners from seeking citizenship are fear of rejection and for some Canadians and Mexicans proximity to their homeland.

Of the 7.9 million eligible foreign residents, 2.3 million are from Mexico, according to the report. The report did not include a breakdown for Canadians.

The rate of Mexicans seeking citizenship has climbed from 19 percent in 1995 to 34 percent in 2001, the report said.

The number of Canadians seeking citizenship has remained at about 50 percent in recent years.

''Canadians are more likely than Mexicans to naturalize, but less likely than others to naturalize,'' said Jeffrey S. Passel, demographer and principal research associate at the Urban Institute. By comparison, the percentage of Asian nationals seeking citizenship is about 67 percent.

Foreign nationals seeking asylum or fleeing from dictatorship were among the most likely to want to become American, Passel said. Seventy three percent of Cubans seek citizenship, he said.


TOPICS: Canada; Cuba; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; Mexico; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: citizenship; immigrantlist; mencha; millions; refuse
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To: William Terrell
Which means they'd have to pay for all the freeloaders and criminal invaders.
41 posted on 09/18/2003 10:07:21 AM PDT by the gillman@blacklagoon.com (See you in the camps.)
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To: Alouette
"How can you tell if they are Canadians?"

Walp, you can certainly tell a Canadian from a Mexican, can't you?

42 posted on 09/18/2003 10:08:11 AM PDT by Happy2BMe (LIBERTY has arrived in Iraq - Now we can concentrate on HOLLYWEED!)
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To: bedolido
Of the 7.9 million eligible foreign residents, 2.3 million are from Mexico, according to the report. The report did not include a breakdown for Canadians. The rate of Mexicans seeking citizenship has climbed from 19 percent in 1995 to 34 percent in 2001, the report said. The number of Canadians seeking citizenship has remained at about 50 percent in recent years.

Ok. We don't know how many Canadians are eligible for naturalization, but we know that half of them are seeking it. Does that make any sense to anyone?

43 posted on 09/18/2003 10:08:49 AM PDT by Mr. Bird
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To: Mr. Mojo
Feel some measure of happiness as I do seeing Mexico's world cup record of late.
44 posted on 09/18/2003 10:09:40 AM PDT by cyborg (kliek hier)
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To: Happy2BMe
>>>When was the last time you walked into "Mall USA" and seen hundreds and hundreds of Canadians hanging around the entrance or walking up and down the aisles in WalMart? <<<

How do you know they aren't? That's the problem with Canadians, visually indistinguishable from Americans. They only wear those Canadian Flag pins when they are in Europe, you know? You have to interview them and listen for the slipups in the way the pronounce 'about' and say 'eh', don't you know? You can also inspect their trunks for the telltale signs of Molsons and Labatts.

In fact, their special operatives take training in how to sound like an American

http://www.ubcp.com/index.asp?navid=18

(Look near the bottom of the page)

Sure, they say the classes have been postponed, that's just to fool John Ashcrot.

{/Canadian_Stereotyping_off}
45 posted on 09/18/2003 10:10:25 AM PDT by MalcolmS (Post Like A Pirate Day: Sept 19. Arrrr Matey!)
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To: Alouette
How can you tell if they are Canadians? Are they wearing Maple Leafs jerseys or Blue Jays baseball caps?

They're working as lawyers, doctors and bankers, mostly. There's no point in Canadians crossing the border to sponge off of US welfare- Canada gives better welfare benefits. Canadians in this country are generally here because they can make a lot more money than in Canada (a starting lawyer in a prestigious Toronto law firm makes about 90K Canadian which is around 65K US. A starting lawyer in a prestigious New York law firm can make $125K. you do the math)

46 posted on 09/18/2003 10:10:34 AM PDT by Modernman ("Oh no, the dead have risen and they're voting Republican"- Lisa Simpson)
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To: Alouette
How can you tell if they are Canadians? Are they wearing Maple Leafs jerseys or Blue Jays baseball caps?

No, they're driving their Saturn 50mph on I-95 in the left lane, on their way to Florida. Damned Canucks.

47 posted on 09/18/2003 10:10:36 AM PDT by Mr. Bird
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To: bedolido
"Millions refuse U.S. Citizenship"

So does that mean they can only vote in California?
48 posted on 09/18/2003 10:11:29 AM PDT by Spok
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To: Happy2BMe
Walp, you can certainly tell a Canadian from a Mexican, can't you?

The Canadians are generally tall enough to ride the big kid rides at the amusement park.

49 posted on 09/18/2003 10:11:29 AM PDT by riri
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To: Happy2BMe; varon
"Where is the incentive?"

There is none.

I wouldn't say that. In 1973, the year I legally became an adult, I was able to register as a Republican in the lobby of the auditorium 15 minutes after my naturalization ceremony ended. :-)

50 posted on 09/18/2003 10:12:04 AM PDT by Polybius
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To: Mr. Mojo
I believe that you are referring to incidents that happened when the U.S. soccer squad traveled to Costa Rica, and not in the L.A. Coliseum.
51 posted on 09/18/2003 10:12:11 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: bedolido
Here's a thought.......if a person refuses citizenship, they do not reap any benefits of our great nation. There should be a check list somewhere on a form that says:

Would you like to become a US citizen?

______yes

______no

***Checking NO means priviledges of said citizenship shall be revoked and void. A national may only stay in the country 90 days and may not earn any income.

52 posted on 09/18/2003 10:13:18 AM PDT by BossLady (Punch Card Voting Since 1981..........)
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To: Modernman
Because service is a duty for citizens. Only citizens should be counted on to defend These United States.

If it is too much trouble to apply for citizenship, please find another place to live.
53 posted on 09/18/2003 10:13:34 AM PDT by ffusco (Maecilius Fuscus,Governor of Longovicium , Manchester, England. 238-244 AD)
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To: Maceman
If they are so damn proud of their national origin, then what the HELL are they doing HERE?

Bingo.

54 posted on 09/18/2003 10:14:35 AM PDT by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge.)
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To: 1rudeboy
You believe mistakenly. I lived in L.A. at the time, so I should know.
55 posted on 09/18/2003 10:14:52 AM PDT by Mr. Mojo
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To: cyborg
I don't know why. But again they recieve many of the benefits without any moral obligation.
56 posted on 09/18/2003 10:15:08 AM PDT by ffusco (Maecilius Fuscus,Governor of Longovicium , Manchester, England. 238-244 AD)
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To: ffusco
If it is too much trouble to apply for citizenship, please find another place to live

That's why Bush is opening an office to encourage people to become citizens. I figure that makes more sense than insulting non-citizens.

57 posted on 09/18/2003 10:15:26 AM PDT by Modernman ("Oh no, the dead have risen and they're voting Republican"- Lisa Simpson)
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To: riri
"Canadians are generally tall enough to ride the big kid rides at the amusement park."


That's just mean!
58 posted on 09/18/2003 10:16:01 AM PDT by ffusco (Maecilius Fuscus,Governor of Longovicium , Manchester, England. 238-244 AD)
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To: BossLady
Let's turn that around. If your boss sends you the Canada plant, how quickly do you suggest that you should renounce your U.S. citizenship?
59 posted on 09/18/2003 10:16:49 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: bedolido
"Bush administration this week announced the creation of the Office of Citizenship"

Unlike his newly created Unfair Trade Practices Team that will do nothing but talk and continue down the same path we are on, the Office of Citizenship will probably be a blazing success.
60 posted on 09/18/2003 10:17:43 AM PDT by LibertyAndJusticeForAll
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