LatinoJustice

Talking for a greater good
The discussion was part of the national Night of 1,000 Conversations Campaign, which aims to get people talking about DHS and civil rights.
An engaging discussion
Over 25 people came together to discuss how the delays in the naturalization process are harming immigrant communities. Some came to listen and learn and some came to talk and share. Everyone was very engaged, making it a true “conversation.”
Translating words into actions
All participants were asked to take independent action on one of the topics discussed that evening. Some people said they planned on writing letters to Congress or USCIS, others said they would like to help people naturalize or register to vote.
Spanning cultures and age groups
The diverse backgrounds of the people who attended made the discussion more engaging. High school students, undergraduates, law students, lawyers, professors, and nonprofit professionals from African-American, African, Haitian, Latino and Anglo backgrounds all shared their experiences.
Legal action
PRLDEF lawyers Jose and Christina also discussed the facts of PRLDEF's case against U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The case, called Milanes v. Chertoff, charges that undue delays by the government in granting citizenship will deny more than 1 million applicants, mostly Latinos, of the right to vote.
Questioning policy
Attendees also discussed the many different ways that the Department of Homeland Security policy affects immigrant communities, including the FBI's name checks, and the Immigration and Citizenship Enforcement's home raids.
This affects us all
Many participants asked if politicians were purposely complicating the process in order to keep immigrants from voting. Attendees also discussed how immigrants and African Americans are similarly disenfranchised.
The facts
José and Christina, members of PRLDEF's legal team, gave background information on how the naturalization process works, and listed some of the factors that have led to the delays in adjudication. They also discussed the facts of PRLDEF's case against USCIS.
An important conversation
Students, lawyers and professionals from across New York came together at PRLDEF offices in late June to discuss the effects that delays in the naturalization process are having on immigrant communities.