Most people do not realize that Houston and the surrounding areas are home to more than 360,000 adults eligible to become US citizens. According to the Migration Policy Institute Report, 80 percent of those eligible have lived in the US for more than 10 years and 40 percent have lived in the country for more than 20 years. That’s a long time to live in the US and not even try to become a citizen.
So why haven’t the people who are eligible to become citizens not taken the next steps? Well, there are many reasons. The costs can be prohibitive. Not many people have the application fees (hundreds of dollars) readily available. Also, a common theme is flat out fear. The fear of taking that next step (or distrust of the system) can feel like a ton of bricks crushing you, not allowing you to move. Then, there is just plain old not knowing where to even start. These obstacles can make even the strongest person feel inadequate and overwhelmed.
The Houston Community Media hosted an insightful panel discussion on May 8th covering the path to citizenship, the barriers many people face, and ideas on how to help dispel the misinformation that’s all around. Several nonprofits whose goal is to assist in citizenship, immigration support and naturalization started the informative panel discussion.
The program panelists included:
- KaNeesha Allen, Community Collaboration Lead at Dalberg Design, www.dalbert.com – “Folks don’t know, what they don’t know.”
- Austa Zapata, Naturalization Program Manager, Harris County, www.harriscountytx.gov – “The immigration process is a long and complicated process…”
- Angie Dupree, Citizenship Coordinator, National Partnership for New Americans, www.partnershipfornewamericans.org – “Houston has the highest number of applications filed nationally.”
- Zenobia Lai, Executive Director, Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, www.houstonimmigration.org – “Citizenship is the ultimate defense against deportation.”
The talk then moved to community partners and navigators, who shared what citizens can do, along with those seeking citizenship, to move the dial in Texas. This group included:
- Luis Garcia-Alvarez, President and CEO, SEDES, www.sedesus.org – “We have been bombarded with a lot of fear strategy… Today, we need to inform what is real and accurate information.”
- Alice Min, Operations Associate, WooriJuntos, www.woorijuntos.org
- Dedre Smith, ED, Literacy Council of Fort Bend County, www.ftbendliteracy.org
- Jannette Diep, ED, Boat People SOS Houston, www.bpsos.org – “Everyone has a different scenario. We have to learn each person’s history to be able to help them create a plan.”
Many of these organizations work hand-in-hand to make a difference for the people they serve.
KaNeesha Allen, Community Collaboration Lead, Dalbert Design, said something so simple, yet so profound, “…folks don’t know, what they don’t know.” It proved to be a common theme shared by many of the panelists. Their days are spent working to share valuable information and stop misinformation from spreading in the communities they serve.
For information about citizenship and local events, visit the following:
- Become a Citizen Today – becomeacitizentoday.com
- Naturalize Now Houston – houston.naturalizenow.org
- Citizenship resources in Houston – https://houston.naturalizenow.org/resources/
- Citizenship events – https://houston.naturalizenow.org/events/
- USA Hello
- Citizenship guide: https://usahello.org/citizenship/prepare/
- Civic test preparation: https://usahello.org/prepare/citizenship-test-questions/
Everyday citizens must also help do the work. Everyone can’t be a bystander. The work is too important and the costs are too high. – Kim Floyd
