On April 11, about 3,075 Massachusetts residents became citizens of the United States in the largest naturalization ceremony to date in New England. This day marked the end of a long journey for each of these new Americans who had raveled here from the four corners of the earth in pursuit of their dreams.
Not among the new citizens were many whose journey, begun long ago, is not yet over. I'm referring to those permanent residents or "green card" holders who, although eligible, are still reluctant to take the final step toward naturalization. Their reasons are many. Perhaps their English is not yet good enough to meet the required standard. Maybe they fear the series of questions they must answer about U.S. history and civics. It might be that they don't have the $400 application fee to begin the process in the same way that they couldn't pay the $95 that it cost seven years ago. There is always a reason.
And then there are those who are just plain comfortable remaining permanent residents and renewing their green cards every ten years. In the past six months I became acquainted with two immigrants from Ireland who have been here for more than 40 and 50 years, respectively, who have chosen to maintain their alien status despite the fact that they have lived in the U.S. twice as long as they did in Ireland. Like them, some have spent their entire working careers in America, have married here, raised families and in all likelihood, will be buried here. For them I suspect that the real reason may lie deeper, perhaps born out of a feeling that by taking an oath of allegiance to a foreign nation they are severing the last tie to their ancestral homeland. From a practical standpoint, this is not an issue since U.S. naturalization does not alter the status of one's Irish citizenship nor affect the right to retain an Irish passport.
By continuing their status as permanent residents many individuals may perceive themselves as "outsiders." This is perfectly understandable because much is denied to them. They will always be subject to the ever changing will of security-conscious Congress, the length of their travel outside the US is restricted, they must renew their green cards every ten years and immediately report any change of address. They cannot seek public office, cannot sponsor a relative for admission to the United States nor take advantage of estate tax exemptions reserved for citizens. In some cases permanent residency may be revoked for criminal offenses with resulting deportation.
The feeling of being an "outsider" is probably most acute around election time for it is always a reminder that, once again, they have no say in how their life or their country will be governed. Independence and the right to vote were long fought for in Ireland and every Irish man and Irish woman, no matter where they go, will always cherish the memory of these freedoms. But to remain alive and vibrant, this heritage must be exercised.
Minister of State Noel Treacy, T.D. and Sean Farrell, Director of The Irish Abroad Unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs, recently attended the national conference in Boston of the Coalition of Irish Immigration Centers.
In their remarks both Treacy and Farrell emphasized that, while returning Irish will always be welcomed back, it is the fervent wish of the government that all who have left Ireland and chosen America as their permanent home should seek citizenship in order to fully participate in the community in which they have decided to live. This is good advice and it makes good sense.
As persuasive as these arguments ought to be, sometimes they are not enough to tip the balance. Some immigrants just never wish to be one more ingredient in America's "melting pot." Of course, any decision about naturalization involves questioning one's personal identity, a process that must be respected.
So, dear reader, if you find yourself in this quandary maybe its time to make a conscious effort to revisit and reflect on the question once again. Who knows? Maybe you'll find that now is the right time to complete the personal journey you began so long ago.
