Immigrants suing for citizenship, right to vote

[AlphaCentauri]

Source: M. Herald

Eduardo Zambrano, an Ecuadorean immigrant, has a green card, a candidate he supports in this presidential election -- Hillary Clinton -- and detailed knowledge of her experience as first lady.

The one thing he doesn't have, despite years of trying: the right to vote.

Zambrano, a legal permanent U.S. resident, applied for citizenship more than two years ago, but a large backlog of naturalization applications at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services may lock him out of the November election.

He has now joined growing numbers of prospective U.S. citizens who are suing the immigration service, which under federal law is supposed to respond to naturalization petitions within 180 days of an applicant's interview. Zambrano passed his in June 2006.

''One of the first things I want to do as a citizen is vote, because I want a better world for my children,'' said Zambrano, 38, who is passionately against the Iraq War. ``There are thousands of people like me, and if we can vote, we will change the elections.''



Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking_news/story/493747.html

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"Zambrano, who lives in Miami, believes the delays are intentional. His lawsuit, filed last week in federal court in Miami, alleges that the current Republican administration is deliberately preventing thousands of potential new voters -- most of them Hispanics that polls say are likely to register as Democrats -- from voting in November."

[mitchtv]

1. Go for it as far as I am concerned

I agree the repukes are dragging their feet

[lonestarnot]

2. Good!

[gal]

3. Do you believe this is the only thing backed up?

Take a look at anything having to do with government, they are all backed up.

[heliarc]

6. I can't get anyone in any Bureaucratic office...

State or Federal on the phone. Ever. Its very discouraging to hear that our government is getting privatized and outsourced.

[shireen]

4. something sounds odd about this ...

He says he passed his interview in June 2006. When I went through the process in Baltimore, in 2002, the interview and swearing-in were just hours apart. Have the procedures changed?

[DUlover2909]

5. If the laws say he can vote and someone is dragging their feet, then I say enforce the law!

I totally believe it if someone says that Bushco is dragging their feet. Take it to court.