Citizenship journey in Tennessee goes smoother with a little help

Citizenship journey in Tennessee goes smoother with a little help
Process is long, confusing, costly
4:08 AM, May. 17, 2012 |
Celina Alvarez's path to citizenship

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Celina Alvarez's path to citizenship: Anahi Gutierrez from the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition interviews Franklin resident Celina Alvarez.

Written by
Heidi Hall
The Tennessean


The cavernous conference room was nearly empty except for Maria Evans, silently occupying a seat near the end of the second row, trying not to look nervous.

On one side sat her husband, Robert, a native-born American citizen. On the other side, her sample citizenship test booklet, meticulously wrapped in red Christmas paper, offering what she hoped would be a gift of family stability, her dream job and the chance to vote.

After seven years of lawyers, paperwork and studying, Maria Evans watched minutes tick away before an interview at the Nashville Public Library, one that would make or break her attempt to become a naturalized U.S. citizen. It was the last step, the end of an immigration process so lengthy, confusing and expensive that it keeps many in the shadows of regular American life.

“In banking, I’ve realized the importance of becoming a citizen to get a specific position,” the Clarksville, Tenn., resident said in perfect English, using grammar she started learning in Mexico. “It has been a barrier.”

Seven thousand immigrants became citizens last year through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Memphis, which serves Tennessee and parts of Arkansas and Mississippi. It costs $680 for the naturalization application alone, never mind thousands more spent on lawyers and trips to Memphis.

But in recent years, the government and nonprofit groups that help immigrants have worked harder to reduce the stress. They cite the benefits of encouraging citizenship for immigrants to America. It allows them to hold federal jobs, speak English more proficiently and participate fully in the nation’s political processes.

USCIS workers held 40 interviews Tuesday at the library to help people such as Evans expedite her path to citizenship. To help cut down on trips to Memphis, Lynuel Dennis, director of that field office, said employees are trying to schedule more sessions across the state.

“That way, people aren’t spending for a hotel or extra food costs. We’re trying to see what would be our ultimate area for off-site interviews,” she said. “We’re trying to make the process more accessible and user-friendly.”

Candidates answered 10 questions about American history and government, proved they could understand and write English, and clarified points on their applications. Maria Evans passed, and soon she’ll find out when she can be sworn in as a citizen.

Nashville-based nonprofit Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition will hold a workshop on Saturday, offering free legal advice and application fee waivers to help legal permanent residents move into citizenship. One in April attracted triple the number organizers expected.

They also hope to let native-born Americans know how challenging it can be for people who choose to play by the rules to become naturalized citizens.
Not a simple process

When typical native-born Americans think about immigrants, they think about Latin American farmworkers or nannies, said Flavia Jimenez, director of integration policy for the nonprofit National Immigration Forum. They also think naturalization is a simple process.

“That plays into our ineffective policy on immigration,” she said. “It doesn’t paint a clear picture of who we are as a nation. There are a lot of myths about who the immigrants are, the face of the immigrant community.”

The largest number of naturalized citizens in Tennessee came from India in 2010, the most recent year for detailed U.S. Department of Homeland Security data. Mexico was second, and Egypt third. Most were in professional or management careers.

Paths to citizenship are numerous, but here’s the basic way: Immigrants must first be sponsored by an employer or relative for legal permanent residency, more commonly known as a green card.

After five years — or three if married to a U.S. citizen — the real work begins. First, there’s a limit on how many potential citizens will be taken from each country. Candidates file a naturalization application, including copies of their fingerprints, which costs $680. That doesn’t include paying a lawyer to help with the process.

After they file, they must stay in the U.S. until their interview.
High cost

It’s frustrating when native-born Americans don’t understand how much it takes, said Celina Alvarez, a Franklin resident who will attend Saturday’s TIRRC workshop. She moved to the U.S. from Jalisco, Mexico, 18 years ago and takes orders for a local fan company.

Her sons, 18 and 10, are citizens because they were born here, and the oldest pressured her to become naturalized. An employer sponsored her husband and her to get a green card — a process that took $18,000 in application and attorneys fees — but only Celina Alvarez feels prepared to move forward.

She’s grateful for free help from TIRRC.

“People say, ‘Why don’t you just go get (citizenship)?’” she said. “It’s very difficult, and it’s not easy to get help.

“I’m looking forward to it. … I’ll have more opportunities, I’ll be able to vote. My son is really pressuring me to have it by the next election.”

Anahi Gutierrez, who is coordinating the workshops for TIRRC, was expecting 40 people at the one April 1, was prepared for 60 but was overwhelmed by 120. It demonstrates how much people want to be Americans, she said.

“You can’t deny that, if they are citizens or not, America is made up of people who came from all across the world,” Gutierrez said. “The only way to have this reflected in the policies is to have them become civically engaged.”

Contact Heidi Hall at 615-726-5977 or hhall@tennessean.com, or follow her on Twitter @HeidiHallTN.


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