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This review provides an overview of the U.S. government's representative democracy, citizenship requirements, and the process of becoming a citizen. It also discusses illegal aliens, dual citizenship, and immigration in the 1880s and 1990s. The handling of illegal immigration is explored, including enforcement measures and employer sanctions.
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What type of government does the U.S have? • Representative Democracy: • citizens delegate authority to elected representatives
What are illegal aliens? What can they do? • People who are in the country without proper paperwork • They can go to school, receive medical attention • They cannot vote
How can someone have dual citizenship? • If one parent is American born and they live or were born in another country • If they are American born and their parents were born in another country
Identify a United States citizen. • A person born in the United States whose parents are citizens. • A person born in the United States whose parents are not citizens. • A person born in a foreign country whose parents are United States citizens.
What does an immigrant have to do to become a United States citizen? • Demonstrate basic knowledge of the English language, take an oath of loyalty to the United States and answer questions about United States history
Describe immigration in the 1880’s and 1990s • Greatly decreased because of high birthrates throughout the United States. • Decreased
Direct Democracy • All citizens take part in voting • Representative Democracy • citizens delegate authority to elected representatives • Dictatorship • form of government in which one person possesses absolute power without effective constitutional limitations
How an Alien becomes a Citizen Declaration of Intention(optional) An alien may file this in any naturalization court. Declares that an alien intends to seek American citizenship. Petition for Naturalization-After an alien has lived in the U.S. at least 5 yrs.(or 3 yrs if married to a U.S. citizen), he/she files an application called a petition for Naturalization Examination – an examiner conducts an exam in which applicant must show that he/she is of good moral character who believes in the principles of the constitution. Also must prove he/she can read, write, and speak English and knows history and government of the U.S.
Final Hearing If the applicant meets all of the qualifications, he/she is granted citizenship at a final hearing. There, the alien swears an oath of allegiance and is given a certificate of naturalization.
Illegals: • How they enter the country: • Entering the country without going through a checkpoint (at airport, port, or border crossing) • Overstaying a temporary visa • Pathways of legal immigration are slow and costly: significant backlogs at immigration offices. • Probability of being accepted as an LPR is unlikely - Day laborers/unskilled workers. • How do handle the issue: Enforcement: • Increased surveillance at the US-Mexico border through the National Guard and Border Patrol • 2nd border fence Employer and Employee Sanctions • Raids on illegal workers, as in Fall 2006, who are then detained and deported. • Sanctions (fines) or criminalization of employers or other people who give employment or other assistance to illegal workers.