U.S. Citizenship

How do you get all the rights and privelages of US citizenship, and how do you become a citizen, anyway?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Citizenship#Acquisition_of_citizenship
Basic outline of citizenship requirements and paths to citizenship.

Spexxvet;319060 wrote:

How do you get all the rights and privelages of US citizenship, and how do you become a citizen, anyway?

You just walk across the border.

Why do you ask?

(Even if you become a citizen, you still can't be president. You have to be born here to get that right/privilege.)

Fast track to US citizenship: Join the US military.

Fastest track: Join the US military and get killed in action.

"Citizenship and the Armed Forces

A July 2002 executive order made noncitizen members of the armed forces eligible for expedited US citizenship.
Section 329 of the Immigration and Nationality Act authorizes the president to issue executive orders specifying periods of conflict during which foreign-born members of the US military are eligible for immediate US citizenship. In a July 2002 executive order, President Bush specified that such a period of hostilities began after September 11, 2001, and that foreign-born, noncitizen military personnel serving on or after that date were thus eligible for expedited citizenship. During times of peace, noncitizen armed forces members may obtain citizenship after a one-year waiting period.

According to the White House, other executive orders specifying periods of conflict have allowed noncitizens to immediately become US citizens. During World War I and World War II, for example, 143,000 noncitizen military personnel were immediately naturalized; 31,000 foreign-born armed services members became citizens during the Korean War."

"More than 13,000 foreign-born members of the armed forces have applied for US citizenship since the July 2002 executive order.
According to USCIS data from March 2006, more than 13,000 foreign-born military personnel have applied for expedited citizenship since President Bush's July 2002 executive order. This figure represents approximately half of the 26,000 armed services members (according to August 2006 USCIS figures) who have become citizens since the September 11 terrorist attacks."

"Since September 11, 2001, 84 military personnel killed in the line of duty have received posthumous citizenship.
According to December 2006 figures from USCIS, 84 armed services members killed in action have been awarded posthumous citizenship. Public Law 101-249 grants US citizenship, upon request of a relative, to a noncitizen killed in active duty during specific periods of military conflict.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2004 extended immigration benefits to the immediate family members (parents, spouse, and children) of service members who receive posthumous citizenship. The law's provisions are retroactive to September 11, 2001."

http://www.migrationinformation.org/USfocus/display.cfm?ID=572

Brianna;319078 wrote:

You just walk across the border.

Thread winner! :lol:

Twelve years ago my brother's girlfriend went to Oklahoma City to do what she needed to to become a US citizen. When asked for identification, she presented her drivers license and social security card. They were shocked that she has a SS number and asked how she got it. She explained that when she was 15, she went to work at a burger joint and was told that she had to have a SS number. Her boss told her to go to the post office and get an application, she did, she filled it out and mailed it in per the instructions, and she received a SS card in the mail.
They spent over an hour trying to figure out what to do with her, and finally decided that even though she was born in Canada, since she had been in the US ever since she was 2 yrs old and had worked here with a SS number for the last four years, that she was a citizen.
I'm sure most people don't have it that easy, but she did, under her circumstances.

They couldn't deport her since her home was here, plus someone would have to take the fall for the screw-up. One of the questions on the SS application is "where were you born", so somebody at SS missed it ...unless she lied.
If they were satisfied with the answers, they rarely did any checking, in the past. :smack:

Hmmm... I thought you were either born here, or got off the boat (or climbed the fence), studied, took the test that most of us could not pass, passed it and got sworn in. I had no idea one could just fill out a form! Is this a great country or what?!

It's a rare exception rather than the norm, simian. The only reason it happened at all was they made such a cluster fuck of her case it was easier to just cut through the red tape and give it to her.

Besides she was one of our good neighbors up north. :lol:

Oh man, bluecuracao is gonna spank me for that crack.

monster;319111 wrote:

Why do you ask?

(Even if you become a citizen, you still can't be president. You have to be born here to get that right/privilege.)

True.

But you can still be on the Supreme Court. :rolleyes:

Just for amusement, I present for your consideration the actual text from the reverse side of a fake social security card I took off a patient tonight. I think his Instituto Federal Electoral card is genuine. I know his green card isn't.

All spelling and punctuation errors have been left intact for your entertainment.

This card is the official verification of your Social Security number.
Please sign it right away. Keep it in a safe place
Improper use of this card or number by anyone is punishable by fine, imprisonment or both.
This card belongs to the Social Security Administration and you must return it if we ask for it.
If you find a Cast that isn't yours, please return it to:
Social Security Administration
PO Box 33008. Baltimore, MD 21290-3008
For anyother Social Security business/informacion, contact you local Social Security office. If you write to the above address for any bussines other than returning a found card, it will take longer for us to answer your letter.

The reason I asked was that in another thread, and in most abortion rights discussion, anti-choice people treat a pre-born "whatever" as though it had rights and privileges.

Spexxvet;322691 wrote:

The reason I asked was that in another thread, and in most abortion rights discussion, anti-choice people treat a pre-born "whatever" as though it had rights and privileges.

No fetal citizenship, even before 1973.

14th amendment -- All persons born or naturalized in the United States... etc.

"Naturalized" refers to immigrants.


It's a complete indirection from any issues regarding abortion.

Maybe they are referring to natural rights and privileges normally given another human being as opposed to the rights of being a US citizen?

I don't agree it's a human or citizen before birth, but just sayin'. :confused:

xoxoxoBruce;320143 wrote:

It's a rare exception rather than the norm, simian. The only reason it happened at all was they made such a cluster fuck of her case it was easier to just cut through the red tape and give it to her.

Besides she was one of our good neighbors up north. :lol:

Oh man, bluecuracao is gonna spank me for that crack.

And you better enjoy it, too. :eek: