Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition
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PRESS STATEMENT: New Hike in Citizenship Fees Hurts Future Americans in Massachusetts

Source: MIRA
Author: Shuya Ohno
Date: January 31, 2007
1/31/2007 1:09 pm - Boston, MA - The Bush administration today proposed nearly doubling the application fee for U.S. citizenship. The current fees of $400 would increase to $675. The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), representing over 100 community and service organizations across Massachusetts, strongly opposes this new fee increase proposal.

PRESS STATEMENT

For Immediate Release:

January 31, 2007

For more information contact:

Ali Noorani, Executive Director, MIRA: (617) 835-1402

Shuya Ohno, Communications Associate, MIRA: (617) 350-5480 ext 204

Patricia Karl, Lawrence Family Development: (978) 689-9863 ext 123

Anna Zambrano, Voice and Future Fund/SEIU: (617) 878-7483

Thomas Keown, Irish Immigration Center: (617) 542-1900 ext 13

Juan Vega, Executive Director, Centro Latino de Chelsea: (617) 884-3238 ext 202

New Hike in Citizenship Fees Hurts Future Americans in Massachusetts

Boston, MA - The Bush administration today proposed nearly doubling the application fee for U.S. citizenship. The current fees of $400 would increase to $675. The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), representing over 100 community and service organizations across Massachusetts, strongly opposes this new fee increase proposal. 

“These fee increases would be nearly insurmountable for people who have come a long way, and waited a long time to earn U.S. citizenship,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the MIRA Coalition. “The oath of allegiance at the naturalization ceremony expresses not only the culmination of their dreams, but also the depth of patriotism that these families feel for America. As a nation, we should be encouraging, not burdening, these future citizens on their journey to become Americans.”

Service providers across Massachusetts assist immigrants in the long and complex naturalization process through the under-funded Citizenship for New Americans Program.  Many expressed dismay at the fee increase, and concern for the individuals and families they serve. 

“Our country needs these immigrants who are yearning to become American. Doubling the fees would be punishing those immigrant families who did everything asked of them, who did everything by the book,” stated Patricia Karl, Executive Director of Lawrence Family Development.

Juan Vega, Executive Director of Centro Latino de Chelsea stated, “Our organization serves families from all over the world who have overcome incredible hardships to get this close to their U.S. citizenship. It is heartbreaking to think that hard-working families would now have to wait even longer so they can pay for each family member.” 

Thomas Keown of the Irish Immigration Center in Boston stated, “This hike runs counter to common sense. We all benefit from immigrants becoming citizens and when we have men and women proud to become Americans and eager to accept the responsibilities of citizenship, we should be excited to help them, not price them out of the market.”


Anna Zambrano of the Voice and Future Fund of SEIU 615 stressed her concerns. “Such a dramatic fee increase will price out many people we work with. The Statue of Liberty does not say, ‘Give us your wealth, your assets.’ We should remember that we are a nation of immigrants and remember what the Statue of Liberty really stands for.”

“The President called for integration of immigrants in his State of the Union last week. With this announcement, his administration is being hypocritical. Each dollar increase in naturalization fees is another brick in the wall between immigrants and their dreams of citizenship,” Noorani concluded.

 

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MIRA works to advocate for the rights and opportunities of immigrants and refugees. In partnership with its members, MIRA advances this mission through education, training, leadership development, organizing, policy analysis and advocacy.
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