Letter to the editor: Illegal delays in immigration processing

By Adam Bates, Ann Arbor, Mich. - 11/6/2009


Immigration has long been a flashpoint for political and ideological passion in this country. In past generations it was hostility towards immigrants fleeing oppression or strife in Europe. More recently, it has become hostility towards people who enter and remain in the United States illegally.

There is, however, another issue that has become prevalent: intentional citizenship delays. These affect people who are in America entirely legally, who live and work and raise their families here. The justification for these delays, sometimes as long as six or seven years, is that the mandatory background checks have not been processed.

The length of these delays exposes this bureaucratic nonsense for what it is. The inscription at the Statue of Liberty beseeches the world to give to America its poor, its tired, and its huddled masses yearning to breathe free. That wonderful promise to the poor and persecuted is not being kept.

To become a citizen, an immigrant must first pass a test (on subjects like civics, American history, and the English language). Following that test, a background check is performed. Under federal law, the government has 120 days from the successful completion of the test to pose an objection to that person attaining citizenship. The current administration, much like the previous one, argues that the clock starts running not after the test, but after the background check. This is incorrect, the courts have stated as much, but still the delays continue. This government sandbagging is not in keeping with our foundational values as a nation.

Editor's note: Bates is a second-year law student at the University of Michigan was a summer civil rights intern for the Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.



This letter was published exclusively online.

The Tulsa World publishes as many letters as possible within its standards and space limitations. The newspaper receives many more letters than it can publish. To help accommodate that surplus some letters are published online only. Letters that can't be edited below the 250-word limit on printed letters or that are written by an author who has published a letter in the past 30 days are often used online only. The newspaper also emphasizes local topics in printed letters. Letters addressing national or international events are often used online.


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Tulsa World Reader Comments
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Mr. Brown, Kanagawa, Japan (11/7/2009 2:25:03 AM)
:) I have forwarded your fine replacement inscription to Shean Hannity for his seal of approval. Get back to ya later ;D

:), (11/6/2009 8:45:20 AM)
It is ridiculous how slowly the wheels turn. It's really no wonder so many people circumvent the system. No, no. These unfortunates are simply lumped into the "illeagle" category by our tighty-righty commenters. Instead of overhauling our defunct immigration system, they will suggest changing Lady Liberty's inscription as a much more economical solution- "Give me your brightest, wealthiest and most attractive, you know- the Posh celebrity types, NOT your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe up our free air, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost BACK HOME, I lift my lamp to show you the door, DON'T LET IT HIT YOU!"



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