In the News: 2014 — the year for citizenship

For Wojciech Zolnowsky — our site leader in Detroit — there’s no better time than now to become a citizen.

In an opinion piece published in the Arab-American News, one of the most prominent Arabic media outlets in Michigan, Wojciech broke down the reasons why Arab-American legal permanent residents should take their first step towards citizenship with the New Americans Campaign:

Why follow through on citizenship now? Start with money and power.

First, the money: On the whole, naturalized citizens make more — a new citizen sees an average boost in individual earning of 8 to 11 percent. That makes naturalization a golden opportunity for the entire U.S. economy, which could see growth of $21 billion to $45 billion if all eligible immigrants become citizens.

Second, the power: New citizens can help steer our country, state and cities in the right direction. We are just beginning a critical election year, with a key governor’s race and important congressional elections coming up. Citizenship gives you a voice on big challenges such as health care, the economy, foreign policy and immigration — not to mention numerous local issues that affect us. Citizens have the responsibility and opportunity to elect the right men and women to handle those challenges in the coming years.

On a more practical level, upcoming changes to the citizenship application form offer an incentive to apply for citizenship now. In coming months, the N-400 form is expected to double in length. Although citizenship will remain achievable, applying for it could be more time-consuming. Thankfully, that change is still a few months away.