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Oct 1, 2007 7:09 pm US/Eastern
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Citizenship Fee Increase May Mean Less Citizens
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
It's the American dream for many immigrants, becoming a U.S. citizen, but could those dreams now be out of reach for many?
Some say that could be the case, as huge increases in fees for citizenship applications go into affect.
Representing countries from Afghanistan to Yugoslavia, 204 immigrants recently took the oath to become U.S. citizens here in New York City.
Hunter College student Sylvia Gonzales remembers the feeling. Gonzales, who came as a young girl to this country from Peru, took the oath a year ago.
"I was nervous, then I was like I couldn't believe it," Gonzales said. "I was like 'Oh my God, I did it!'"
But now there are fears that citizenship will be out of reach for many as a sharp hike in immigration fees goes into effect. Across the board, fees are up an average 66 percent, some way more. Green cards, once $395, are now $1,010.
Gonzales says that sends a chilling message.
"It's like telling us you can't do it, don't even bother" she said. "Why should you do it you don't have the money?"
But government officials say there was no choice.
"If we continue to operate as we were operating we were losing money every day and that would cause deterioration in services," said Chris Rhatigan of U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services.
Since the hike, there have been fewer citizenship applications, down nearly 25 percent in the tri-state area.
"It will mean that fewer people will become citizens, but, more importantly, it almost sends a message that we don't want to encourage people to become citizens," said Monsignor Kevin Sullivan of Catholic Charities.
Added Rhatigan: "It's a personal decision to come to the United States to work and live and we feel because we are the greatest nation in the world that will not stop."
But some say the fee hikes add to the perception that there is growing anti- immigrant sentiment in this country, and that may come at the expense of us all.
"The more we create disincentives and obstacles for some groups to become more integrated, the more it creates instability for all of us," Sullivan said.
A member of Congress has a bill to scrap the fee increases. She says the government never fully explained where the money is going. That bill is not expected to pass.
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