Dear Mr. President,
A dear friend is days away from the end of a 15 year journey. On Feb 10th, she will take an oath and become an American citizen. Since her final immigration interview and before she can take the oath, she has to answer the following question: “Have you practiced polygamy, received income from illegal gambling, been a prostitute, procured anyone for prostitution or been involved in any other unlawful commercialized vice, encouraged or helped any alien to enter the US illegally, illicitly trafficked in drugs or marijuana, given any false testimony to obtain immigration benefits, or been a habitual drunkard, or joined any organization, including the Communist Party, or become associated or connected therewith in any way?”
As we discuss immigration in the national forums that a presidential election year provides, perhaps we can take a moment to consider what we value as a country and modify our screening process to, instead, ask, “Did you help someone in need; were you kind to a stranger; did you enjoy the beauty of this grand land?”
For now, my friend, welcome - not to the country of the good, but to the country of the not bad.
Gratefully,
Sarah E. Wise
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