Preparing for Permanent Residency and Citizenship

Some participants in adult ESL and family literacy programs are working to become permanent U.S. residents or citizens. This section gives information about these processes and resources for teachers to consult.

Lawful Permanent Residency (Green Card)

In order to be able to legally live and work permanently in the United States, individuals must go through a multi-step process to become legal immigrants. Teachers should become acquainted with the immigration and citizenship processes themselves, so they can help the adult English language learners in their programs understand when, where, and how they may begin this process in their own communities. In order to keep up to date on information concerning the process and to obtain the current information and forms, teachers can periodically check the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Web site at http://uscis.gov/graphics/index.htm and the U.S. Immigration Information Web site at http://www.rapidimmigration.com/usa/1_eng_immigration_info.html. Details on who is eligible to apply for permanent residence in the United States may be found on the eligibility information page on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Web site http://uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/LPReligibility.htm. However, it is important to distinguish between the educational and legal aspects of citizenship preparation (Nixon & Keenan, 1997). The teacher's role is to direct learners to information (print, Web, phone, etc.) and local sources of assistance, not to assist the learners in the naturalization process itself. This is particularly true in dealing with immigration issues, but also with other legal issues.

U.S. Citizenship

The process of obtaining U.S. citizenship is called naturalization. Teachers can help students understand the responsibilities that naturalization brings, along with the many rights and privileges they will receive as a result of becoming citizens. In becoming U.S. citizens, individuals promise to support and defend the Constitution and the laws of the United States, swear allegiance to the United States, and promise to serve the country when required. In most cases, they must give up prior allegiances to other countries. U.S. citizenship brings the right to vote and hold public office, work for the federal government, and help family members immigrate to the United States.

Although the citizenship process and exam are being revised, three resources on the Internet will help teachers and students understand the application process for citizenship. These resources help explain to teachers and applicants how to prepare for the exam. The first source, USCIS, within the Department of Homeland Security, is the government agency that administers the naturalization process. Information about USCIS is available on their Web site at http://uscis.gov/graphics/index.htm. The second Internet resource is for literacy staff and volunteers. The free online course, Citizenship: What Volunteers Need to Know (Proliteracy Worldwide & National Center for Family Literacy, 2004) at Verizon Literacy Campus, http://www.literacycampus.org/, offers a 45-minute step-by-step tour through the naturalization process, using the USCIS Web site as its base. The third resource is the National Center for ESL Literacy Education's (NCLE) two-page brief, Citizenship Preparation for Adult ESL Learners, available at http://cal-org.wdi.net/caela/digests/Citizen.htm (Nixon & Keenan, 1997). This document provides the basis for the activities that follow this summary. Teachers may use these activities to help students prepare for the citizenship exam, but they should be aware that adult immigrants need skills beyond basic English proficiency to successfully complete the process.