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Editorial: Immigration, within reason
Op-Ed · March 23, 2017


West Branch is honored to host an annual naturalization ceremony at the Hoover Complex, and we believe that a willingness to increase legal immigration as well as reasonable measures to stem the flow of illegal immigration are most appropriate for any country, including the United States.


Here in Cedar County, more than 97 percent of the population is white, yet once a year, the Hoover Presidential Library-Museum and Hoover National Historic Site host a naturalization ceremony where about 70 to 80 immigrants break away from their country of birth and vow to become part of the great Melting Pot that is America. In any given year, these permanent residents represent about 30 different countries around the world, including Muslim nations.

Not only are each of these naturalization ceremonies peaceful, they are happy and joyous occasions where participants often dress up, bring entire families, take pictures and celebrate afterward.

Each candidate must be sponsored, and most find sponsors in family members who came before them. These candidates wish to take part in the American Dream, to vote and pursue happiness through boundless opportunities, like the pride of working to support their families.

When our reporters talk to these new citizens, they hear stories of how it took time — for some, up to 10 years after arriving on U.S. soil — effort and resources to get through the process. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, filing the Form N-400 can cost $640 and up, depending on which fees apply.

We believe that the American people think the current system for naturalization — from initial screening to obtaining permanent residency (Green Cards) to finally securing citizenship — is working well.

However, when a Times reporter interviewed the owner of the local Mexico Lindo restaurant about her family’s story of obtaining residency, she expressed a desire to see the cost come down a bit to make it more obtainable for poorer families. We would be interested in better understanding the fee system and open to hearing the pros and cons of changes to those fees, or establishing new ideas for collecting those fees in lump sums or monthly payments. Fees are certainly reasonable, though, as U.S. taxpayers ought not to have to shoulder any unnecessary burden of screening would-be citizens.

Some 12 million immigrants flowed through Ellis Island in its more than six decades of operation, and about 2 percent were turned away for health reasons and criminal backgrounds. In 2010, the American Immigration Council — stating that good data is difficult to obtain on immigration — estimates that 1.6 percent of immigrant males from 18-39 are incarcerated. That said, it is not unreasonable to believe that some illegal immigrants, no matter how small the percentage, are a danger and a burden to U.S. citizens. Under President Obama, deportations rose every year during his first term, from 370,000 to 410,000, then dropped every year during his second term, to 240,000. However, of those deported, the percent of whom were convicted criminals rose from 67 to 92 percent, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement statistics. This shift in focus to convicted criminals reflects the concerns of U.S. citizens, so we would encourage President Trump to continue what Obama started.

Yet make no mistake that Americans want immigrants, from blue collar to white collar, who wish to come and work, to contribute to bettering society. If the numbers above are even close to true, then well over 95 percent of immigrants want what the majority of U.S. citizens want — life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

We want to continue the decade-long practice of hosting naturalization ceremonies in West Branch, to be among the very first people to see immigrants become citizens, and to welcome and congratulate them for what they have accomplished, who they are, and what they bring to our nation.