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AFL-CIO vice president wants to help green card holders

On Behalf of | Jul 9, 2014 | U.S. Immigration Law |

Obtaining a green card is an important step in the immigration process. For some, it may be as far as they venture. However, one organization’s vice president is trying to help relay the benefits for workers who go from having a green card to applying for citizenship. Anyone in Maryland who has a green card may be interested in the help the AFL-CIO is trying to put into motion.

The organization is encouraging those with green cards to seek full citizenship in order to obtain the right to vote. The idea is that if they can vote, they can have a voice in the much-debated immigration reform topic. After five years of being a permanent resident, a green card holder can apply to be a citizen. Despite this fact, many who can apply do not.

By staying at their current status, people with a green card may risk possible deportation under specific circumstances. The vice president of the AFL-CIO is putting the campaign to help in motion, namely due to his own experiences as an immigrant. He says that one obstacle is how hard it can be to denounce citizenship in the country where a person was born; however, the gains outweigh the difficulty of that decision.

It can be a long and arduous process when someone has a green card and is ready for the next step. For some in Maryland and other states, it may also be confusing. Anyone who is concerned about citizenship status or who is unclear of what their options are may want to seek help from professionals who can answer their questions.

Source: The Huffington Post, “AFL-CIO Encourages Green Card Holders To Become Citizens“, Elise Foley, June 27, 2014

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