Mr. Speaker. House bill 8317 amends the naturalization law with respect to the validity of declarations of intention after 7 years. Under the present law a declaration of intention. or what is commonly known as the "first paper" in an aliens application for citizenship. is valid for 7 years only. If an alien. for some reason or other. after filing his declaration of intention. fails to file a petition for naturalization. or fails to qualify for citizenship within 7 years. he must file a new declaration of intention and wait 2 years before he can file a petition for naturalization. The petition for naturalization under no circumstances can be filed before 2 years have expired from the date of the declaration of intention. irrespective of whether the declaration of intention be the aliens first. second. or third. The 7year limitation on a declaration of intention accomplishes no good purpose. because compelling an alien to file a new one and wait 2 years does not improve him in any manner. shape. or form. nor does it make him better fitted to become a citizen of the United States. It is a useless gesture and smacks of a penalty for something which an alien probably could not avoid or control. During the present economic depression the declarations of intention of a large number of aliens have expired. because lack of funds made it impossible for them to proceed with their second and last step in their naturalization proceedings. These aliens should not be penalized to the extent of having to file another declaration of intention and waiting 2 years before they can file the petition for naturalization. Many other aliens who are anxious and willing to become American citizens as soon as they possibly can and who apply themselves diligently. fail to qualify within the 7year limit. because. notwithstanding their efforts. they do not acquire within that time the required knowledge of our language and our laws. This class of aliens should not be put through the inconvenience of filing a second declaration of intention and of waiting 2 years.
Keywords matched
naturalization