Welcome New Citizens!

By Regina McNamara

We are a country of immigrants. On a more local level, Always There is a proud company of immigrants. They comprise the majority of our caregiver population. As legal permanent residents, they are eligible to become citizens. But the barriers are many…Waiting time, government requirements, and of course financial. There is much talk at state and national levels of immigration, it has been a topic of our representatives in Washington for many previous administrations with no meaningful legislation enacted. It now appears to be a priority. We anxiously await some resolution. But lost in these discussions are the millions of hard working immigrants who live in this country legally but are not yet citizens. We encourage our caregivers to take the steps required for citizenship and we reimburse them the expense involved. It is, we believe the right thing to do for us and for our most important asset, our caregivers.

This is an excerpt from a speech given by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy at a naturalization ceremony in September in Bakersfield, California. For anyone who has not attended a naturalization ceremony where formerly legal immigrants become full-fledged American citizens, it is a joyful experience. I highly recommend it.

Every one of you has a story-an American story now. You come from many countries but today, the Pilgrims are your ancestors. You’ve known many leaders. But today, George Washington is your Founding Father. You’ve experienced many hardships – but today Valley Forge is your winter. The Declaration of Independence is your inspiration and the Constitution is your inheritance. Lincoln is your liberator…. The GIs of D Day are your heroes. Martin Luther King Jr spoke of your dreams. The moon bears your flag. And your future is our future.

You are adopted sons and daughters of America with every right, every privilege, every duty, every national memory of those blessed with citizenship from birth. I pray that as you grow into your place as citizens that what you feel more than anything else is gratitude.

I would add that we are in fact also most grateful for all these new citizens. ■