My US Citizenship Is On The “Green Cards”!
It has always been the dream of people worldwide to live and work in the United States of America. If there ever was a promised land, a land of opportunity, it has been the US. Many people have migrated to the US over the years to seek and gain US citizenship. And till date, the green card happens to be the most desired stamp of approval in the world.
It was a certain group of pilgrims who were determined to discover a better way of life, who landed on these shores by accident. They crossed the Atlantic in the Mayflower. This land where they settled down, became the USA. And these pilgrims were established as the first citizens of this newly-discovered land. These facts are very much visible in history books. Since then, varied cultures and varied sects of people have flocked to the place and settled here.
US citizenship has always held great promise of people fleeing their home countries due to prosecution or strife. Which is why, you will find that scores of Jewish people, people from war-torn areas, people from Africa and even the Middle East have all come to the US and gained US citizenship. Additionally, there are always the Chinese, the Indians and the other skilled migrants who have a long history of association with the US and scores of migrants from these populous countries actively seek out US citizenship in order to re-unite with their family or even to create a better life for themselves and their loved ones.
Now, New York is the heart of the US. The country’s economic growth is decided by this bustling metropolis. And it is here that one finds that out of every four persons with US citizenship, three constitute people from foreign shores! And the story does not end there; there are still a few thousand more who get to New York every day in the hope that they can become US citizens sooner or later! Even more startling is the fact that the US Government conducts a pool annually, where participants are granted automatic US citizenship via Green Cards should they win. And the numbers are staggering! 50,000 cards each year! This author had the luck to meet up with a Lebanese taxi driver who gained citizenship in this manner. But there is a catch here–all countries cannot participate. The US just wants to prove that it allows a diverse culture to settle down on its shores, and so conducts this pool. The USAIS ensures that there are an equal number of migrants from unrepresented countries who are given an opportunity to stay and work here!
The US boasts of being the largest and most developed economy in the world. There are plenty of opportunities for those who are serious about improving their standard of living by working hard. Other benefits offered by the US Government is dual citizenship and prestige. A foreigner settled there is a citizen of America as well as a citizen of the country of his birth. He/She can therefore enjoy the best of both worlds–old ties and new ties! Finally, tell anyone that you are a US citizen and watch the expression of awe on his/her face! It is definitely a matter of honor to claim citizenship of this country!
Filed under: Current Events