The Path to Citizenship

Thousands of legal permanent United States citizens are living in Mississippi, but are not U.S. citizens. MPB’s Phoebe Judge reports on one south Mississippi workshop devoted to helping individuals attain citizenship.

The meeting room at St. Paul’s Methodist Church in Biloxi was transformed into a citizenship application assembly line this past Saturday, as attorneys and volunteers helped legal permanent residents from all across the Gulf Coast begin the process of becoming United States citizens. The one day workshop was run by the Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance for a suggested donation of $60 dollars. Alicia Johnson development director for MIRA, says the low cost was one of the goals,

“This is a process that is very expensive and then when you tack on attorney fees it almost prices a lot of people out of it. That’s why they stay legal permanent residents for years and never naturalize.”

Seccoro Leos, became a United States citizen three years ago after spending years as a legal resident, she says the difference is huge,

“It’s an awesome moment. It’s so sentimental and it’s like all that you have suffered all that you have waited, it opens lots of doors.”

One of the privileges of becoming a citizen is the right to vote. Bill Chandler, executive director of MIRA says citizenship allow an individual to become involved in the civic life of their community,

“It’s more than just working and making a home. It’s becoming active to be able to have real empowerment. Here in Mississippi we have elections every year for one thing or another and they should be in a position where they can help decide who their public officials are.”

MIRA estimates that more than 10,000 permanent residents in Mississippi are eligible to become United States citizens.