Some U.S. employers are now helping their employees achieve their American dream.
U.S. businesses are pairing up with immigrant advocates in order to help their eligible employees become U.S. citizens.
This effort will benefit all such eligible employees and U.S. companies: Workers can avoid legal fees and the employers can create a deeper bond with their workers.
There are around 8.5 million immigrants who are eligible for U.S. citizenship.
Permanent residents who hold Green Cards can apply for U.S. citizenship after having their Green Cards for five years. They need to meet the requirements and pass the citizenship test. Many who are eligible for naturalization fail to apply for it due to the form filing fee. Some do not apply because they don’t understand English and some are confused by the U.S. citizenship process.
U.S. employers have started to help immigrants become U.S. citizens last year. Some companies have now become a part of the Bethlehem project. This project mainly focuses on low wage workers who may not be able to afford the naturalization form filing fees and hire immigration lawyers.
Several immigrants say that they have not thought about becoming U.S. citizens as they do not have money. Some employers now pay the naturalization application fees for their employees and deduct it from pay checks. Likewise, workers are also being offered citizenship related perks by some companies.
Trump International Beach Resort is helping its employees to pass the citizenship test by paying for their English classes. Evan Bacalao, from the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, wants to expand the program and help workers in big factories and warehouses to become citizens.
Louis DeSipio, a professor at the University of California, stated that companies that have a large number of immigrant workers are likely to join this effort.