← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · Stigmata
Thread ID: 17908 | Posts: 3 | Started: 2005-04-22
2005-04-22 13:39 | User Profile
NEW PROJECT WILL HELP IMMIGRANTS BECOME U.S. CITIZENS Knights of Columbus to offer naturalization assistance
February 16, 2005
Washington, DC - In an effort to expand the availability of naturalization services for immigrants, the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc (CLINIC) and the Knights of Columbus have partnered to launch a new citizenship project in Dallas, Los Angeles, and Long Island, NY. Through the project, CLINIC member agencies will recruit and train Knights of Columbus volunteers to assist immigrants in becoming U.S. citizens. By helping immigrants complete the citizenship application, offering English language and citizenship test preparation classes, and providing assistance at citizenship swearing-in ceremonies, the project aims to encourage more immigrants to complete the naturalization process.
There are currently an estimated eight million people residing within the United States who are eligible but have not yet been naturalized. Although they are contributing members of their communities and U.S. society as a whole, they do not enjoy many of the rights afforded to U.S. citizens, including the right to vote. By participating in this citizenship project and becoming naturalized, immigrants will not only be able to provide their families a sense of permanency and security, they will obtain skills and information that will allow them to contribute more fully to their adopted country.
"We hope that this project will provide immigrants the knowledge and support that they need to become U.S. citizens," says Donald Kerwin, Executive Director of CLINIC. "We are particularly pleased to be partnering with the Knights of Columbus for whom citizenship and service to immigrants has long been a priority."
The Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), a subsidiary of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, is the nation's largest network of charitable immigration services with 148 affiliates in 242 field offices around the country. CLINIC advocates for transparent, fair and generous immigration policies.
The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic men's fraternal benefit society with 1.6 million members that was formed to render financial aid to members and their families. Social and intellectual fellowship is promoted among the community through educational, charitable, religious, social welfare, war relief and public relief works.
[url="http://www.cliniclegal.org/index.html"]http://www.cliniclegal.org/index.html[/url]
2005-04-22 15:48 | User Profile
umm i highly doubt it. nowhere does this mention they are trying to help immigrants from white countries. another clue is they claim there are only 8 million illegals here. A third clue would be the involvment of the catholic church, which is highly sympathetic to the hispanic.
2005-04-23 13:55 | User Profile
The KOC org in the US is predominantly white--and old. The main problem with joining is that membership requires an oath of loyalty to the United States (probably as a sop to worried Prods). In light of what the US has become, I'm not sure how anyone--Catholic or WN or Prod or whatever--could accept this today. Not now. :yucky: