US immigration holds naturalisation ceremonies to honour Martin Luther King
January 14 2010 by Liam Clifford
Ceremonies to honour the late Dr. and civil rights leader to be held across the US.
The
US immigration department is this year, for the first time,
commemorating Martin Luther King by holding naturalisation ceremonies
around the holiday marking the assassinated civil rights leader's
birthday.
Ceremonies are being carried out in several locations around the US
over the coming days, awarding people US citizenship which will allow
immigrants and their dependents to live in the US permanently.
US immigration reform advocates have welcomed the decision by the
immigration department to celebrate the life of King through awarding
citizenship. They feel the ceremonies could raise awareness of the
civil rights issues involved with immigration and may stimulate support
for the cause.
Alejandro Mayorkas, the director of the US immigration and citizenship
department said, "when we greet new citizens into the United States we
speak of the open opportunities that our country presents to everyone
around the world who qualifies for the benefits our agency
administers.” He continued, "Martin Luther King helped define those
hopes and opportunities for everyone."
Citizenship is currently awarded to some US visas holders who have been
living and working in the US for a number of years. If US immigration reform takes
place this year as hoped, millions of unregistered foreigners currently
living in the US could also be given a path to citizenship.
See the latest Immigration News
