Speech #990024408

Mr. Speaker. today I am introducing legislation to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to facilitate the often timeconsuming and frustrating piocess of acquiring U.S. citizenship by allowing for administrative naturalization. For those Immigrants adopting this country. U.S. citizenship is a priceless possession. In return. our country is enriched with their contributions and each nationality and heritage is woven into a rich tapestry of American society. The avenue toward U.S. citizenship as it exists today is a cumbersome one for those who want to enjoy the rights of this great land. the right to practice religion freely. the right to participate in a democratic form of government. the right of free expression. and the inalienable rights of life. liberty. and the pursuit of happiness. In order to accommodate the increasing numbers of persons who seek citizenship and provide a more effective means to obtain naturalization. I have introduced a bill to bring the entire naturalization process within the Department of Justice. The legislation vests authority for naturalizatio. in the Attorney General whose designated representatives would carry out the functions of what is currently a Judicial process by allowing immigration Judges to conduct ceremonies for naturalizing citizens of the United States. This bill simply streamlines the process by which persaons become citizens and does not alter existing statutes with respect to the prerequisites for obtaining citizenship. The Naturalization Amendments of 1985 first directs that the sole procedure for naturalization shall be through the Attorney General. Second. it allows judges designated by the Attorney General to conduct naturalization ceremonies. These m3st important provisions change existing law by consolidating under the Attorney General what is currently a twostep process engaged in by both the executive branch and the Judicial branch. This means a qualified applicant for naturalization must simply submit an application for naturalization on to the Immigration and Naturalization Service and it will be on one track through the final swearing of allegiance ceremony consecrating the ultimate act of gaining citizenship. Third. the bill retains significant elements of the Judicial system in order to retain the dignity and decourm generally associated with the citizenship ceremony. It requires ceremonies be conducted in "open session" and that the Attorney General designate certain days for final hearing on citizenship cases. It also retains a certain period of. residence in the State for purposes of filing an application for naturalization. Fourth. the bill provides for a de novo hearing at the district court on denied applications for naturalization. The time has arrived. I believe. to relieve the applicat for naturalization from some of the onerous paperwork requirements currently on our statute books. The cou .. now conducting naturalization ceremonies already have heavy dockets in other areas and the backlogs of those awaiting naturalization frequently causesi tremendous inconvenience to the applicants. In many cases. delays result in denial of employent opportunities. travel plans. and. most importantly. exercise of t~reir right to vote. The progress currently being made by the Immigration and Naturalization Service in reducing their backlogs in the naturalization area has been enotaging ani emonstrates the prlorty attached to this area by the Service. I believe my bill will complement this effort. Additionally. immigration judgeswho will become the designated ceremonial agents under my billhave demonstrated a high caliber of professionalism and I am confident that they will look upon their proposed duties with enthusiasm. I believe this step to be a timely one in view of the impending 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty and I would urge this positive step on behalf of the new immigrants who have contributed volumes of history to this new land.*