Immigrants' activist: U.S. citizenship becoming a `luxury'
June 25th, 2008 @ 11:29am
by Jim Cross/KTAR

The bad U.S. economy has made becoming an American citizen a ``luxury" for many people, according to a Valley immigrants' rights activist.

Elias Bermudez with Immigrants Without Borders said it now costs $2,000 to get a green card. Until recently, that cost was $500 to $750.

``Fees have increased almost three times over two to three years ago," Bermudez said. ``With this economy, people just cannot come up with the $2,000 fee that they need to become legal."

He said, ``Unfortunately, people are just taking care of those items that are a primary necessity."

Bermudez fears many immigrants who are eligible to pursue citizenship may be deported ``not because they don't have an ability to stay here, but because they didn't have the money to pay for it."

He said people have few options: ``to ask for waivers from the U.S. government, which are not being granted, or to wait until better times come around."





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