Why Access Matters in Today’s Immigration Landscape

Citizenship & Human Dignity by Luz Ostrognai

A Question Facing Many Lawful Permanent Residents

Across northern Indiana, many lawful permanent residents (green card holders) are asking a difficult question: Is now the right time to apply for citizenship?

For many, what should be a clear next step instead feels like a moving target. This tension highlights an important reality: access to citizenship is not only about eligibility, but about clarity, trust, and the ability to navigate an increasingly complex system. In this moment, accurate information and reliable legal guidance are more important than ever.

Why Citizenship Matters

Citizenship carries both practical and communal significance.

For individuals who naturalize, citizenship provides:

• The right to vote

• Protection from deportation

• The ability to petition for family members

• Greater freedom and security in travel

Beyond these legal benefits, citizenship allows individuals to fully participate in the civic life of their communities. It represents not just a change in legal status, but a deeper sense of belonging and shared responsibility within the country they call home.

Challenges in the Current Naturalization Process

Every day, millions of lawful permanent residents are eligible to apply for citizenship, yet many delay taking this step.

Nationally, while naturalization numbers remain high, challenges persist:

• USCIS continues to face mounting backlogs

• Processing times can vary widely, often stretching to a year or longer

• Recent application fee changes have increased financial pressure

• The shift toward digital filing has added new layers of complexity

In Indiana, these challenges are felt locally. Families often experience extended waiting periods, and even small application errors can lead to delays or denials.

Barriers Between Eligibility and Access

A person generally qualifies for U.S. citizenship through naturalization if they are 18 or older, have held lawful permanent resident status for the required time, meet residency and good‑moral‑character requirements, can demonstrate basic English and civics knowledge, and are willing to take the Oath of Allegiance.

Several factors contribute to the gap between being eligible for citizenship and being able to pursue it confidently:

• Financial barriers: Application fees can be prohibitive for working families

• Language barriers: English and civics requirements require preparation and support

• Complex applications: The process is detailed and unforgiving of small mistakes

• Misinformation: Informal networks and fraudulent services can mislead or endanger applicants

These barriers do not reflect a lack of desire or commitment. In many cases, individuals have spent years preparing for this step.

The Role of Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services

Within this landscape, agencies like Catholic Charities play a critical role in making citizenship accessible.

Through its Immigration Legal Services program, Catholic Charities provides:

• Legal consultations

• Application preparation

• Citizenship education and exam preparation

• Individualized guidance throughout the process

Citizenship classes and one-on-one support help applicants not only pass exams, but also understand the rights and responsibilities that come with naturalization.

Measurable Impact, Meaningful Change

Since January 2021:

• Approximately 250 individuals have been assisted with citizenship applications

• 200 individuals have already been approved

• Many others are currently pending

These numbers represent more than completed forms — they reflect individuals and families taking meaningful steps toward stability and fuller participation in their communities.

Citizenship & Human Dignity: A Catholic Perspective

From a Catholic perspective, the importance of citizenship flows from a deeper understanding of human dignity.

• The Church teaches that every person is created in the image and likeness of God and possesses inherent worth

• In 1985, St. Pope John Paul II emphasized that citizenship in any one country does not diminish membership in the global human family

• The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, in Strangers No Longer, calls on societies to uphold dignity through structures that allow people to live, work, and participate fully in community life

• Citizenship does not create dignity—it recognizes and helps protect it. Access to citizenship supports the common good by allowing individuals to contribute more fully where they already live and work. Birthright citizenship, in particular, affirms that dignity is not earned, but inherent.

Looking Ahead

As immigration policies and procedures continue to evolve, the need for clear, reliable pathways to citizenship remains constant. Ensuring those pathways are accessible is not only a legal concern, but a reflection of the kind of community we seek to build—one rooted in participation, stability, and respect for human dignity.

At Catholic Charities, this work is guided by a simple mission: to serve all those in need as Christ calls us to do. Through immigration legal services and community education, that mission becomes real in the lives of individuals and families seeking a place to belong.