Stepping down from an 18-hour flight, my family carries hope for the American dream to thrive and succeed in a foreign country. I remember the chills and nausea after stepping off the plane; my mind was still unable to grasp the fact that it was just me and my mom relying on each other to live in a foreign country. I was 13 when I had to leave my friends and family behind to pursue my education and find better treatment for my mom’s condition. Being the only child equals the only hope in your family to plant the hopes and reap the rewards.
Knowing that I had no one who could act as a close role model to receive guidance or even share my feelings with them, once I started school here I decided to step out of my comfort zone and made my first best friend who didn’t share the same mother tongue as me. This helped me build confidence, have someone to talk to, and provide an emotional outlet for me.
My mom and I are not the only ones who have experienced beginning a new life. Many other families emigrated from their countries to the U.S., knowing that they had to leave behind everything. We were fortunate to become U.S. citizens through the naturalization process, which took us 5 years to prepare and complete the paperwork. I used the word “fortunate” because I recognized the barriers that others faced when it came to applying for naturalization due to financial costs and language barriers.
According to the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services, “818,500 (people became) new citizens in fiscal year 2024 during naturalization ceremonies held across the United States and around the world. Although a 7% decrease from last year, the 3-year total is more than 2.6 million new citizens. This number rose 12% from the pre-pandemic years, from 2010 to 2019.”
Becoming a citizen means opening doors to many opportunities and being able to participate in American civic duties. While many aspire to become a U.S. citizen, some are facing challenges and setbacks.
The financial cost to apply for the application is one of many factors that may prevent many low-income families from applying for naturalization. An article from Immigration Policy Lab stated, “For many low-income immigrants, the price tag is daunting: $725 just to file the application, plus hundreds or even thousands more if you need English classes or consultations with immigration lawyers.” The cost alone leaves many anxious. Although the government does offer fee waivers, they only apply to those whose incomes are below 150% of the poverty line. Many who are not poverty-stricken but unable to make ends meet face struggles because they do not meet the eligibility requirements for the fee waivers.
As for my family, we were able to qualify for the fee waiver and applied for naturalization in 2023, exactly 5 years from 2019. After getting the date for the interview, my mom then signed up for a citizenship class that helps with practicing interviews and English. She also practiced at home, and I helped her by making mock interviews and asking her questions in English so she could become familiar with the questions. The time came, and my mom passed her interview and got sworn in as a U.S. citizen in May 2024. I then later qualified to submit my application to obtain my citizenship through my parent. Six months later, I got my naturalization certificate and took my Oath of Allegiance, officially becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States.
With that being said, our path to citizenship was not all flowers. Leaving everything behind left us with stress and pressure. For my mom, it means to be able to support my family back home and me. For me, it means I have to try my best in school and help my mom in whatever way possible. Navigating through the education and college application also posed a challenge for me. With me being the only one who will go to college in the U.S., I do not have much support or guidance from my family. I still remember trying to apply for a high-grant scholarship in my junior year and ready to start my application. All the requirements were checked with a green check, and then I scrolled down to see a red X. The only requirement I was missing? I was not a U.S. citizen. Additionally, the emotional rollercoaster I have been on due to generation differences with my parents shaped my mind to a more mature perspective of taking care of the family and working hard to repay their sacrifices.
Taking the Oath of Allegiance means more than just saying it. It means you have reached another huge milestone in your life and being closer to the American Dream. Being able to act in my civic duty such as voting enables me to feel I have a voice, especially when it comes to where our country is heading. I am now able to exercise my rights and cast my votes in the elections. Becoming a citizen has been a goal for immigrants to guarantee a place in this country, with our hopes to find opportunities and make dreams come true.
