In the last five years the Learning Network on South Jackson Street in Frankfort helped some 50 Clinton County Residents earn U.S. Citizenship through the process required and administered by the United States Citizenship & Immigration Service.
Naturalization to become a voting U.S. Citizen is not easy.
The required process to naturalization outlined in a talk at Frankfort Rotary by Melinda Grismer includes:
- Know how to read, write and speak English
- Know United States History (pass test)
- Know how the U.S. Government functions (pass test)
- Demonstrate morality and have a track record of activities based on U.S. principles
- Spend at least three 3 (three) months in the state or district from which application is made.
- Have continuous residence in the United States for 5 (five) years immediately before application is made and maintain residence in US until application is made, spending at least half that time in the U.S.
- Have a green card for at least 5 (five) years immediately before application for naturalization is made.
- Be at least 18 years old when application is made for naturalization.
- Apply for Naturalization.
- Obtain U.S. Citizenship.
Through the Learning Network of Clinton County, an average of about 10 individuals per year or about 50 individuals total since 2019 have qualified for U.S. Citizenship and obtained Naturalization. Others may have been naturalized without taking classes at the Learning Network, studying on their own to pass the test.
The federal process costs about $1,000 per person and approval requires a review of the applicant’s past, oath of allegiances and memorization/testing of U.S. history and the U.S. system of government established by the U.S. Constitution, according to Grismer.
Clinton County has the 3rd highest per capita Latino population in the State of Indiana of the 92 Counties in Indiana, according to the 2020 Census.
In order, the top four counties are:
- Lake
- Elkhart
- Clinton
- Cass
The path to Naturalization is well-defined, lengthy and detailed. Many familiar with the process cite some unresolved issues and hurdles residents face to successfully become a naturalized citizen, such as:
- If an individual crosses the U.S. border without inspection, there is NO path to citizenship.
- Undocumented individuals work for U.S. employers, but they never receive the benefits of the taxes that are withheld in their name. (Publishers Note: Some residents purchase or otherwise obtain a false 9 digit social security number to obtain employment. Click Here for more information on this topic)
- Many undocumented individuals in the U.S. came here legally but overstayed their visas. This could have happened as a tourist, student, visitor, worker or other status.
- The Current immigration system is familial, not merit-based, meaning it is based on petitions from relatives, specifically mother/father, sibling, or spouse.
- The Visa Bulletin sets the quota for the number of immigrants admitted per country per year into the United States. This means individuals from some countries, like Mexico, may face a 20-25 year waiting period—or even longer— in the “pipeline” to enter into legal permanent resident status.
- Nationally the U.S. refugee admission and refugee resettlement ceiling is set at just over 120,000 individuals for the entire United States. In 1980 that number was just over 200,000. In 2020, the settlement ceiling for refugees was set at just under 20,000 for the entire United States. It is now back up to just over 120,000 individuals.
In 2022, refugees in Indiana, in decreasing order, were accepted from the following countries: (from most to least)
- Haiti
- Venezuela
- Burma
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Columbia
- El Salvador
- Ukraine
- Afghanistan
- Democratic Republic of Congo
Undocumented individuals (immigrants who reside in the United States without legal status) typically fall into one of the five following categories:
- Entered without inspection. These individuals did not present themselves for inspection at an official checkpoint to obtain permission to enter the country. (Crossing the border without inspection)
- Entered with legal status but overstayed. These individuals have an expired Visa after entering the U.S. legally.
- Have or previously had deferred action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). These individuals have been granted temporary reprieve from deportation through the federal government’s “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” program.
- Individuals Currently in the Process of Legalizing. These individuals are pursuing legalization but currently have no legal status.
- Vulnerable Immigrants. Individuals whose immigration status is in ‘limbo’ or puts them ‘at-risk’ for being targeted by immigration enforcement.
Ronald Reagan on November 6, 1986 granted “Amnesty Without Naturalization” to about 3 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. Bill Clinton signed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. This act became law April 1, 1997. There have not been any sweeping fundamental changes to immigration law in the United States since this 1996 legislation.
According to Grismer, it is not unusual to find residents in Clinton County in the same household with several statuses under the same roof. Some individuals may be citizens, others working on citizenship and may soon be Naturalized, others are in DACA status and others may have entered without inspection.
Melinda Grismer spoke about the “Clase De Ciudadania” (Citizenship Classes) to help Clinton County residents earn their way through the Naturalization process. She has, like so many other Americans, observed the National Immigration and Naturalization process is not working well. Grismer offers that legislative action could look carefully at the work and labor force requirements needed in the United States and work toward a solution based on that data.
The Frankfort Rotary Club meets weekly every Thursday at Arborwood and invites guests to speak on topics important to the Clinton County Community.
