Rights and Benefits of Full US Citizenship

Rights and Benefits of Full US Citizenship Many of the benefits of U.S. citizenship, such as the assurances of equal protection under the law and due process of law are granted by the U.S. Constitution and federal laws to both citizens and non-citizens living as lawful permanent residents in the United States. Immigrants to the United States who pass the civics examination and take the Oath of Allegiance to complete the naturalization process of achieving full U.S. citizenship gain the full protection of the U.S. Constitution, along with several rights and benefits denied even to immigrants with long-time legal permanent resident status. At the same time, the benefits of U.S. citizenship do not come without some important responsibilities. Benefits of Citizenship While the U.S. Constitution and laws of the United States give many rights to both citizens and non-citizens living in the United States, some rights are only for citizens. Some of the most important benefits of citizenship are: Sponsorship of Relatives for Permanent Resident Status Persons holding full U.S. Citizenship are allowed to sponsor their immediate relatives - parents, spouses and unmarried minor children - for U.S. Legal Permanent Resident (Green Card) status without waiting for a visa. Citizens may also, if visas are available, sponsor other relatives, including: Unmarried sons and daughters, 21 years of age and older, of U.S. citizens;spouses and children (unmarried and under 21 years of age) of lawful permanent residents;unmarried sons and daughters, 21 years of age and older, of a lawful permanent resident;married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens; andbrothers and sisters of U.S. citizens (if the U.S. citizen is 21 years of age and older). Obtaining Citizenship for Children Born Abroad In most cases, a child born abroad to a U.S. citizen is automatically deemed to be a U.S. citizen. In general, children born abroad to U.S. citizen parents may obtain full U.S. citizenship either at birth or and after birth but before the age of 18. Congress has enacted laws that determine how citizenship is conveyed by a U.S. citizen parent (or parents) to children born outside of the United States. In general, the law requires that at the time of the child’s birth, at least one parent was a U.S. citizen, and the U.S. citizen parent had lived in the United States for a period of time. Becoming Eligible for Federal Government Jobs Most jobs with federal government agencies require applicants to be U.S. citizens. Travel and Passport Naturalized U.S. citizens may possess a U.S. passport, are protected from deportation, and have the right to travel and live abroad without the threat of losing their Legal Permanent Resident status. Citizens are also allowed to re-enter the U.S. repeatedly without being required to re-establish proof of admissibility. In addition, citizens are not required to update their address of residence with the U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) every time they move.  A U.S. passport also allows citizens to get assistance from the U.S. government when traveling overseas. Naturalized U.S. citizens become eligible for a wide range of benefits and assistance programs offered by the government, including Social Security and Medicare. Voting and Participation in the Electoral Process Perhaps most importantly, naturalized U.S. citizens gain the right to vote, and to run for and hold all elected government positions, except for President of the United States. Showing Patriotism In addition, becoming a U.S. citizen is a way for new citizens to demonstrate their commitment to America. Responsibilities of Citizenship The Oath of Allegiance to the United States includes several promises immigrants make when they become U.S. citizens, including promises to: Give up all prior allegiance to any other nation or sovereignty;Swear allegiance to the United States;Support and defend the Constitution and the laws of the United States; andServe the country when required. All U.S. citizens have many responsibilities other than the ones mentioned in the Oath. Citizens have a responsibility to participate in the political process by registering and voting in elections;  Serving on juries is another responsibility of citizenship;Finally, America becomes stronger when all of its citizens respect the different opinions, cultures, ethnic groups, and religions found in this country. Tolerance for these differences is also a responsibility of citizenship.

Chico, Muchacho, and Other Spanish Words for Children

Chico, Muchacho, and Other Spanish Words for Children Chico, muchacho, nià ±o - and their feminine equivalents, chica, muchacha, and nià ±a - and just a few of the words you can use in Spanish to refer to children. But they arent all used in the same way. In most cases, youre safe to use any of the above words to refer to boys and girls. However, in some cases they can have more specialized uses. Using Chico and Chica As a general adjective, chico is simply a word for small, especially when referring to something that is smaller than other beings or things of its type. When it becomes a noun referring to people, however, it usually refers to someone of a young age rather than someone of short stature. The age of children used for chico and chica varies somewhat with region. However, it is often used as a term of affection for people other than children. For example, in Cuba it frequently is used to address friends, something like hey dude or buddy might be in American slang. It is also very common to use chica when referring to young, single women, especially ones in which men might be interested in for romantic purposes - something like the equivalent of babe. To a lesser extent, chico can fulfill a similar role. Similarly, the two terms commonly are used for girlfriend and boyfriend, respectively. The main characters in a movie, TV show or novel are often referred to as chico or chica, especially if they are young and attractive. Using Muchacho and Muchacha When referring to adolescents or teenagers, muchacho/a can usually be used interchangeably with chico/a. In most areas it isnt used often when referring to younger children. Muchacho/a can also be used to refer to a young servant or maid. Using Nià ±o and Nià ±a Nià ±o and nià ±a are more general and sometimes slightly more formal words for children. Their use might be preferred in situations where wed talk about a child in English rather than a boy or girl. For example, a school handout might say something such as Cada nià ±o debe leer un libro por mes for Each child should read one book per month. (Following the Spanish rule of gender, nià ±os can refer to a mixed group of boys and girls, not necessarily just boys. In sentences such as the above, the context suggests that cada nià ±o refers to each child, not necessarily just each boy.) Nià ±o is also used in situations where the speaker is referring to young age or inexperience in general. For example, a child soldier is a nià ±o soldado, and a street child is a nià ±o/a de la calle. Similarly, someone who is worse than a child is peor que un nià ±o - words such as chico and muchacho wouldnt work well in that context. Other Words Referring to Children Other words for talking about children include: Hijo and hija refer specifically to a son or daughter, respectively. Nià ±o/a can also be used with the same meaning if the context is clear.Criatura, a cognate of creature, is sometimes used an affectionate term. For example,  ¡Quà © criatura hermosa! might be translated loosely as What a beautiful little angel! Note that criatura is always feminine, even if it refers to a boy.Descendiente can be used as a replacement for hijo or hija; it is used much more than the English descendant. The word can be either masculine or feminine depending on whether it refers to a son or daughter. It can also refer to descendants such as great-grandchildren.Bebà © is the most common word for baby. Note that it is always masculine, even when referring to a girl.