Thread: CA-Fed agency reaches out, pot. new citizens in north state

Federal agency reaches out to potential new citizens in north state
By Amanda Winters
Posted December 26, 2009 at midnight

Last month, 16 immigrants were sworn in as U.S. citizens in Redding for the first time in recent history and new efforts by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) are in place to make it happen again.

Sharon Rummery, a regional manager with USCIS, said they are trying to make citizenship more convenient than ever to those who qualify. And church or civic groups are encouraged to reach out to would-be citizens.

Just a few months ago, USCIS started hosting workshops around the county to teach people about the citizenship process and give them materials to prepare, she said.

"People begin to see our agency for what it is and not what it used to be," she said.

The next Northern California workshop will be held in January in Napa.

Rummery said many people still don't realize that when the Department of Homeland Security was created in 2003, the Immigration and Naturalization Service broke into three separate entities - USCIS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection.

The role of USCIS includes processing applications for citizenship and green cards of those seeking asylum or petitioning for immigration on behalf of a loved one.

It was his three daughters' efforts on his behalf that brought Rodolfo Lagoc, 73, now of Redding, to the U.S., Rummery said.

The retired lawyer from the Philippines was sworn in as a U.S. citizen at the Nov. 19 ceremony right in his new hometown, Rummery said.

"I have a great respect for applying for it (citizenship) when you feel ready," she said, emphasizing how personal the choice is. "Everyone's got their own reasons."

Lagoc could not be reached for comment.

Before becoming a citizen, applicants must have first been a permanent resident (green-card holder) for five years, or three if married to a U.S. citizen who petitioned for residency, she said.

A test is administered to demonstrate the ability to speak, read and write English unless the applicant is 50 years old and has been a resident for at least 20 years or at least 55 years old with 15 years as a resident, Rummery said.

There's also a test on American government and history, although some waivers are available, she said.

USCIS has been updating its Web site and encouraging potential citizens to take practice tests online, as well as learn about the citizenship process and find out details on future workshops, she said.

Community groups are also being used to get people in the pipeline for citizenship, she said.

"In Redding, we worked with a community group who helps people who want to become citizens," Rummery said.

They also work with Catholic Charities USA, the Canal Alliance and California Human Development, she said.

In 2008, a record 1,046,539 people were naturalized, most of whom originally were from North America, Asia or Mexico, according to statistics by the Office of Immigration. That was nearly double the number naturalized in 2007.

Rummery said she thinks two factors may have contributed to the spike: People may have been rushing to beat a fee increase and many also were concerned as Congress was debating immigration reform, she said.

"We can't guess at what the new year will bring," she said.

Reporter Amanda Winters can be reached at awinters@redding.com.

For more information

• Go to: www.uscis.gov.

• Call: Sacramento Sub Office at (916) 498-6480.

• E-mail: WRO.CommunityRelations@dhs.gov.

http://www.redding.com/news/2009/dec/26 ... al-new-in/

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10-year high in prosecution of criminal immigrants in northen California

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-182712.html

I am happy these people did it the right way. And what a slap in the face it will be to new US citizens that went through the process for illegals suddenly be given amnesty.