The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) offers current U.S. citizens a meaningful way to work with permanent legal immigrants who want to become citizens. The co-owner and editor of El Mundo Gustavo Montoya partners with the USCIS to promote citizenship because he values his naturalized citizenship. “If you live here as a permanent legal resident and want to stay here, then why not become a citizen and take responsibility? Everybody in the community can support that idea.”

               The partnership has produced such a demand that volunteers are teaching classes in English in nine churches, schools, and other organizations in East Wenatchee and Chelan County. I’ve volunteered and recommend your support and participation.

The USCIS path to citizenship has three steps: eligibility, application and ceremony.

Applicants may be eligible for citizenship if they’ve lived continuously for five years (or three years if continuously married to a U.S. citizen) as a permanent legal resident. Eligibility may be met in other ways, such as honorable service in United States Armed Forces. For more information go to the USCIS website, www.uscis.gov or call its National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.

                The eligibility step requires documentation and information. Applicants need to report their histories of residency and employment, criminal record, days and number of trips outside the United States, marital history, and children. This documentation establishes what the USCIS defines as good moral character. People with good moral character and eligibility deserve to apply for citizenship.

The application step consists of completing the application form, paying fees of $680, being fingerprinted and passing examinations by a USCIS officer. The first half of the examinations require the ability to speak, write and converse in English, although older immigrants with at least 15 years of permanent legal residency may waive that exam. The second half of the examinations require correct answers a sample of 100 questions about the federal government, civics and U.S. history.

The ceremony step consists of signing and taking a public oath of allegiance. The person renounces allegiance to any nation where the person had citizenship and pledges allegiance to support and defend the constitution and laws of the United States.

Applicants need help completing forms and study materials and that is where classes taught by volunteers are important. The USCIS has materials for applicants to study and instructional materials for volunteers to teach, but not provide legal advice. The demand for classes led Montoya and Norma Gallegos, Head Start: Community and Family Involvement Coordinator, to recruit classroom space and volunteers.

Gallegos asked Shirley Tucker, East Wenatchee and a member of my church, First United Methodist Church in Wenatchee, to help. For over a decade she’s taught ESL at Wenatchee Valley College. However three years ago budget cuts eliminated some classes even though demand was high, so Tucker helped organize free ESL classes at our church with volunteer teachers. Tucker and others agreed to include citizenship components in their courses.

ESL enrollments increased by an estimated twenty students, so the church called for more volunteers. Volunteers responded when they learned materials and classes are in English. Our volunteers enjoy helping students practice the language and answer questions correctly. Shirley says, “They work so hard and appreciate all the help we can give them.”

Several students in my classes discovered they are not prepared to pass the English portions and are attending ESL classes to improve their English. They are a joy to teach.

The classes are an excellent way for volunteers to work through their churches, schools and literacy programs to interact with immigrants to the benefit of everybody in the community.