Fears of Trump drive immigrants to become citizens

[webfact]

Fears of Trump drive immigrants to become citizens
SERGIO BUSTOS, Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) — On a recent Saturday morning in South Florida, 50-year-old Edgar Ospina stood in a long line of immigrants to take the first step to become an American.

Ospina has spent almost half his life in the U.S. after emigrating from his native Colombia, becoming eligible for citizenship in 1990. But with Donald Trump becoming a more likely presidential nominee by the day, Ospina decided to wait no more, rushing the paperwork required to become a citizen.

"Trump is dividing us as a country," said Ospina, owner of a small flooring and kitchen remodeling company. "He's so negative about immigrants. We've got to speak up."

Nationwide, immigrants like Ospina are among tens of thousands applying for naturalization in a year when immigration has taken center stage in the presidential campaign, especially in the race for the Republican nomination.

Trump, the GOP front-runner, has pledged to deport the estimated 11 million people living in the U.S. illegally. He's also vowed to bar Muslims from entering the country and threatened to cut off remittances that Mexican immigrants in the U.S. send back home. And he's called for building a border wall — among other proposals to deal with unlawful immigration, saying the federal government has failed to protect the border from people and drugs illegally entering the country.

That rhetoric, immigrant advocates and lawmakers say, is driving many foreign-born residents to seek citizenship.

"There is fear of a Trump presidency," said Maria Ponce of iAmerica Action, a Washington-based immigrant rights group that is teaming up with other organizations to help those seeking citizenship — part of a national campaign called "Stand Up To Hate." They've sponsored naturalization workshops from Washington state to Nebraska and Massachusetts.

Nationwide, naturalization applications are up 14 percent in the last six months of 2015 compared with the same period in 2014, according to the government.

And the pool of future U.S. citizens is large. Nearly 9 million legal permanent residents, or green-card holders, are eligible to become Americans. Of those, about 4 million are Hispanic.

Rep. Luis Gutiérrez, D-Ill., was featured in a public service announcement encouraging immigrants to become citizens so they can vote in November. He mocked Trump's slogan, suggesting it was really: "Make America Hate Again."

"We've seen it in the past and we are seeing it again many times over this year," he said. "When immigrant communities feel they are under attack they react with a large number of eligible immigrants becoming citizens and a large number of eligible citizens becoming voters."

Erica Bernal of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials said the tenor of the presidential campaign is galvanizing Latino immigrants. She said today's movement is reminiscent of the 1990s when Latinos in California rose up against Proposition 187, which sought to deny government services to those in the state illegally. The courts overturned it.

Her group and several local ones in Los Angeles recently launched a regional campaign to encourage Latino immigrants to become citizens. About 775,000 legal immigrants in the L.A. area are eligible for citizenship.

To qualify, immigrants must have been in the country five years, complete a 21-page application, get fingerprinted, pass a civics and English exam and pay almost $700 in fees.

Ivan Parro, citizenship coordinator with the Florida Immigrant Coalition said immigrants laugh when he asks why they want to become Americans.

"'You know why,' they say, 'I want to vote against racism and hate,' " said Parro.

He says immigrants this year are "desperate to be part of the political process."

Maria Cristina Giraldo, originally from Colombia and already a U.S. citizen, said she is so fearful of Trump becoming president that she brought five relatives to a naturalization workshop in South Florida.

"Trump is anti-immigrant," said Giraldo, who works cleaning houses. "I don't know if it's because he's such a brute in his speeches or that he isn't careful in what he's saying, but he's very nasty toward Hispanics."

Her sister, Gladys Ceballos of Hollywood, Florida, agreed. She's trying for the second time to become a citizen after failing to pass the English exam. She says she's not fearful of Trump, but she doesn't trust him.

John Haughton, 66, a Jamaican immigrant, said: "Trump is a man who would say one thing today and may modify his views tomorrow."

"I want my voice heard," said Haughton, a legal permanent resident since 2008.

Seung Baik, 43, who was born in South Korea and brought to the U.S. as a teenager, said he too believes Trump is too divisive.

"It took me a little longer to become a citizen because I didn't want to apply and treat this as a membership to something, like joining a club," said Baik, a church pastor. "The world and this nation are changing, and my vote matters."

Baik said he won't be registering as a Democrat or Republican but remains independent. He's undecided about whom he will vote for in his first presidential election as a U.S. citizen, but "it won't be Donald Trump."


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-05-02

[iReason]

This is excellent news!

"Trump is dividing us as a country," said Ospina, owner of a small flooring and kitchen remodeling company. "He's so negative about immigrants. We've got to speak up."

"Rep. Luis Gutiérrez, D-Ill., was featured in a public service announcement encouraging immigrants to become citizens so they can vote in November.

He mocked Trump's slogan, suggesting it was really: "Make America Hate Again."

"'You know why,' they say, 'I want to vote against racism and hate,' " said Parro. He says immigrants this year are "desperate to be part of the political process."

"I don't know if it's because he's such a brute in his speeches or that he isn't careful in what he's saying, but he's very nasty toward Hispanics."

Get out there and vote folks!

[NovaBlue05]

Better they express themselves by getting in the USCIS queue rather than stomping on police cars

[BangkokHank]

If they are able to get citizenship, then they are not in the US illegally. I don't think that Trump is against legal immigration. The liberal media is twisting the facts in order to get illegal immigrants to vote for Hillary. Yep, that's right, in the US, illegal immigrants can vote - because requiring IDs from voters is racist.

[ilostmypassword]

If they are able to get citizenship, then they are not in the US illegally. I don't think that Trump is against legal immigration. The liberal media is twisting the facts in order to get illegal immigrants to vote for Hillary. Yep, that's right, in the US, illegal immigrants can vote - because requiring IDs from voters is racist.

After the 2012 elections, the Republican Attorney General investigated voter fraud in the state after charges were made of massive voter fraud. He was appointed by a Republican governor who presided over a state with a Republican legislature. In total, he found 17 possible cases of voter fraud. In all the cases the people who voted were in Ohio legally and had drivers' licenses. So the ID requirement wouldn't have accomplshed anything. Similar results have been obtained wherever these investigations were conducted. There is no problem of with illegal immigrants voting.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/12/19/did_17_illegal_voters_in_ohio_steal_the_2012_election.html

[ilostmypassword]

And of course, there's a much large number of Latino U.S. citizens who haven't yet registered to vote. I think Trump is about to remedy that situation.

[Pinot]

How did 12% of Hispanics think Trump was favorable? Self hatred? The Clarence Thomas syndrome.

Republicans are going to do poorly with women and minorities. If the Republicans end up with 30% of the vote I'll be surprised. They're a mess and they deserve all the shit that's coming down on them. Som nom na.

[bassman]

A real biased MSM attack on Trump again, he has never said anything against Hispanic legal immigrants. More spin, maybe to be fair they should of got a statement from the Kate Steinle family whose daughter was murdered by an illegal Mexican immigrant. The illegal, Lopez-Sanchez, had been deported following previous convictions 5 times and back in the country illegally again to kill this innocent women.

Time America starts doing what is good for America and not Mexico. Undocumented hoards of illegal aliens violating our law and endangering citizens is not good for America or its safety. Particularly in these times of heightened terrorist activity.

Build that wall and make America legal again.

[chuckd]

This drive for citizenship is in large part sponsored by the current administration, led by the community-organizer-in-charge.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Obama Admin Funds Blitz To Naturalize Anti-Trump Voters

CHUCK ROSS

Reporter

10:08 PM 03/28/2016

The Obama administration is supporting several non-profit groups — with federal funding through a major White House initiative — that are part of an organized effort aimed at converting green-card holders into U.S. citizens in order to vote against Donald Trump, a Daily Caller investigation reveals.

Through an initiative called Networks for Integrating New Americans initiative, which the White House formed in April 2014, the administration has partnered with the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), an immigration rights umbrella organization that has denounced Trump’s “hateful rhetoric.”

In a recent post to its Facebook page, NPNA asserted that green-card holders “have the potential to change America’s electorate” by gaining citizenship. The group and its executive director is also affiliated with one of the leftist groups that helped shut down a Trump rally in Chicago earlier this month.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2016/03/28/obama-admin-funds-blitz-to-naturalize-anti-trump-voters/#ixzz47Z5kQ054

[Johnpound46]

A real biased MSM attack on Trump again, he has never said anything against Hispanic legal immigrants. More spin, maybe to be fair they should of got a statement from the Kate Steinle family whose daughter was murdered by an illegal Mexican immigrant. The illegal, Lopez-Sanchez, had been deported following previous convictions 5 times and back in the country illegally again to kill this innocent women.

Time America starts doing what is good for America and not Mexico. Undocumented hoards of illegal aliens violating our law and endangering citizens is not good for America or its safety. Particularly in these times of heightened terrorist activity.

Build that wall and make America legal again.

No bias, no spin. What Trump said was that a large majority of Hispanic immigrants were rapists and murderers, he never made the distinction between legal and illegal immigrants.

[Johnpound46]

This drive for citizenship is in large part sponsored by the current administration, led by the community-organizer-in-charge.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Obama Admin Funds Blitz To Naturalize Anti-Trump Voters

CHUCK ROSS

Reporter

10:08 PM 03/28/2016

The Obama administration is supporting several non-profit groups — with federal funding through a major White House initiative — that are part of an organized effort aimed at converting green-card holders into U.S. citizens in order to vote against Donald Trump, a Daily Caller investigation reveals.

Through an initiative called Networks for Integrating New Americans initiative, which the White House formed in April 2014, the administration has partnered with the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), an immigration rights umbrella organization that has denounced Trump’s “hateful rhetoric.”

In a recent post to its Facebook page, NPNA asserted that green-card holders “have the potential to change America’s electorate” by gaining citizenship. The group and its executive director is also affiliated with one of the leftist groups that helped shut down a Trump rally in Chicago earlier this month.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2016/03/28/obama-admin-funds-blitz-to-naturalize-anti-trump-voters/#ixzz47Z5kQ054

Yeah, like the Republicans wouldn't import 15 million immigrants and make them citizens at the drop of a hat if they would just promise to vote Repulican ...............

Edited May 3, 2016 by Johnpound46

[Nobb]

It is about time a true running person running for President has made the illegals fear that they will lose there free food stamps and free medical. I am legal in Thailand but i get nothing for free!

[hdkane]

Good for Trump...

If his actions and rhetoric are compelling illegals to actually take the initial steps to become legal citizens, then he's got my vote...

just because he says things that upset people, doesn't make it hate speech...Trump's detractors need to develop a thicker skin and simply vote rather than whining...

it's peculiar that Trump's detractors usually live in homogeneous neighborhoods and areas...the entire time I lived and worked in the USA, I never met a single liberal who wanted to live in a Black, Hispanic, or immigrant neighborhood...the crime and discord was simply too much for them to take on a daily basis...

[chuckd]

This drive for citizenship is in large part sponsored by the current administration, led by the community-organizer-in-charge.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Obama Admin Funds Blitz To Naturalize Anti-Trump Voters

CHUCK ROSS

Reporter

10:08 PM 03/28/2016

The Obama administration is supporting several non-profit groups — with federal funding through a major White House initiative — that are part of an organized effort aimed at converting green-card holders into U.S. citizens in order to vote against Donald Trump, a Daily Caller investigation reveals.

Through an initiative called Networks for Integrating New Americans initiative, which the White House formed in April 2014, the administration has partnered with the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), an immigration rights umbrella organization that has denounced Trump’s “hateful rhetoric.”

In a recent post to its Facebook page, NPNA asserted that green-card holders “have the potential to change America’s electorate” by gaining citizenship. The group and its executive director is also affiliated with one of the leftist groups that helped shut down a Trump rally in Chicago earlier this month.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2016/03/28/obama-admin-funds-blitz-to-naturalize-anti-trump-voters/#ixzz47Z5kQ054

Yeah, like the Republicans wouldn't import 15 million immigrants and make them citizens at the drop of a hat if they would just promise to vote Repulican ...............

Yet it's the Democrats that are actually trying to do it and get away with it.

Strange the way life's little realities come up from time to time.

[seedy]

Flaming post Removed. Reply to the post - do not Attack the poster

[JakeSully]

I can vouch for this personally as there's 22 people I know who have never voted before and most are already citizens or becoming citizens, and they are becoming registered voters just because they don't want their immigration status canceled and/ or they and their loved ones deported when most have been in the US for decades.

Most have been through the harassment of "Go back to your country" bs by Trump voters and this is their way of saying.. this is our home too.

[arjunadawn]

The suggestion being what? Illegal people in the US have always had the option to be naturalized and now, because of Trump, they are acting upon it? This is poppycock. Its contrived.

[samran]

Classic... Trump accelerating legal immigrants desire to naturalise, and become democrat voters.

[Usernames]

Classic... Trump accelerating legal immigrants desire to naturalise, and become democrat voters.

They were already going to vote for Democrats. 49 percent of them came to the US for free stuff. http://cis.org/Welfare-Use-Legal-Illegal-Immigrant-Households

[samran]

Classic... Trump accelerating legal immigrants desire to naturalise, and become democrat voters.

They were already going to vote for Democrats. 49 percent of them came to the US for free stuff. http://cis.org/Welfare-Use-Legal-Illegal-Immigrant-Households

What's your point? That people should be left to rot? <deleted>

Nothing yo do with the OP.

[Usernames]

Classic... Trump accelerating legal immigrants desire to naturalise, and become democrat voters.

They were already going to vote for Democrats. 49 percent of them came to the US for free stuff. http://cis.org/Welfare-Use-Legal-Illegal-Immigrant-Households

What's your point? That people should be left to rot? Pure class you are.

Nothing yo do with the OP.

Here's the deal. Immigration is supposed to be of benefit to the country accepting the immigrant. By being an economic burden, they are taking money from American citizens who have a right to those benefits. Yes, they should remain in their own country, if they are going to be a burden on the US. The US should not be a welfare hub for people from around the world. And Trump is going to stop it, whether you like it or not. Hint: Most Americans are going to love it.

[howto]

The illegal immigration problem is much worse than the gov sez...

if only 1/2 as bad as this states, it is still really bad.

While Trump has mentioned drugs flowing across the border,

he did not place a price on that.

It is estimated at $150 Billion (gov numbers),

and is likely 2x of that.

Consider that when corrupt Mexico is 'against the wall' and

the illegal latino/hispanic are rioting.

I wonder how much does it cost

for a long term illegal, whom is decent,

to become legal.

Cost me about $15K and 1.5 years

to acquire a green card for my Thai wife.

From here in Thailand.

[ilostmypassword]

Classic... Trump accelerating legal immigrants desire to naturalise, and become democrat voters.

They were already going to vote for Democrats. 49 percent of them came to the US for free stuff. http://cis.org/Welfare-Use-Legal-Illegal-Immigrant-Households

I don't think you read the article very attentively. They can only vote if they become citizens. Now more of them are choosing to become citizens because they want to vote against Donald Trump.

[ilostmypassword]

Classic... Trump accelerating legal immigrants desire to naturalise, and become democrat voters.

They were already going to vote for Democrats. 49 percent of them came to the US for free stuff. http://cis.org/Welfare-Use-Legal-Illegal-Immigrant-Households

CATO, the right wing libertarian organization and certainly no friend to the welfare state, offers a scathing critique of the report you cited. Here's a link: http://www.cato.org/blog/center-immigration-studies-exaggerates-immigrant-welfare-use

Edited May 4, 2016 by ilostmypassword

[arjunadawn]

Trump is not the issue. Thought experiment: Replace Trump every time you read an article or post expressing hostility, rage, aggression or hatred toward Trump with yourself. Replace Trump with yourself, or your dad, mom, wife, or husband, etc. Now, reread the post, the thread, the OP, or news feed. Feel that familiar visceral twist? The personal nature of it? The familiarity? Its always been about you, not Trump!

Get it? The vile, acidic rage that is expressed toward Trump is exactly the same way you have been made to feel in your own flesh/mind (and actions in the social space) these past X years in the US. See, Trump is not the issue, you are! It is not Trump or people who agree with him that are hated, its the people who Trump agrees with that are despised and held in contempt.

Its stupid simple: Trump is nothing if not the reflection of many millions. The venom and rage and hate is exactly what [we] have been feeling for years from those who are disassembling our nation one single law and ethic and tradition and memory and achievement at a time. Under the premise of a piece of the pie, the American Dream, 'my share,' 'my turn,' 'you owe,' 'our land,' 'our turn,' white, black, guilt, victim, special privileged, no preference, reparations, equality in outcomes, and every other disease of inferior character, America has been attacked like carrion to birds. As it has weakened, the tempo quickened.

People do not fear or hate Trump; they fear and they hate [you], the typical American Joe/Jane. That is why hatred and hate and hater and hated (ad naseum) is the only social currency of the past X years (decorum and etiquette having been effectively murdered and rage and hate and impulse empowered).

Trump is a symbol, [you] are the problem.