Watch it Now | The Decline of U.S. Citizenship & Dismantling of the American Dream

Immigration has been the basis of our country as well as the lifeblood of its growth and success from its beginnings. All of this makes the current federal government’s violent push to keep people out, strip people of legal status, deport them to countries in which some of them have never lived and prevent those who have called this country home for decades completely un-American.

This eye-opening conversation with HIAS PA’s Executive Director, Cathryn Miller-Wilson, and Managing DOJ Accredited Representative Lori Alexander unpacks the latest changes to the naturalization process. From expanded “neighborhood investigations” that raise serious concerns about privacy, fairness, and objectivity, to growing delays in scheduling interviews and oath ceremonies that leave applicants in limbo, new barriers are reshaping what it means to become an American. In this video, Cathy and Lori also discuss the impact of the amended citizenship test, which has become less accessible for many, and explore how a broader climate of anti-immigrant policies is discouraging eligible residents from even applying. Those who are already citizens are at risk too, as the current administration attempts to end birthright citizenship and ramps up denaturalization efforts.

This program is part of a series hosted by HIAS PA that addresses the current challenges immigrants are facing and ways that you can help your immigrant neighbors.