The Citizenship Ambassador Program is currently located on the St Petersburg College’s Clearwater Campus. Two years ago Professor Preston developed the format being currently used. She has went through the official training at USCIS, as well as developed and presented the lessons with the help of Professors Newsom and Fratus. USCIS has provided The Citizenship Ambassador with flashcards, flyers, and has also developed the handouts. The copies of the handouts, however, are provided by St Petersburg College. Everyone involved in the service does it in their own free time. (S. Preston, personal communication, February 17, 2016) During my time volunteering as a Citizenship Ambassador so far I have …show more content…
With the way the media tends to portray those who come into the United States, it is easy to assume that all Americans are intolerant. Still, I was heartbroken that many people are not able to become citizens, as well as upset that only one candidate has shown up thus far. I, unfortunately, was not awfully surprised. It is well known that many people are undocumented, and the time the meetings are held is not favorable to many. To simply state if it has met my expectations and preconceived notions is nearly impossible. This experience has made me realize that there are, indeed, Americans who want to help others become citizens. It has also helped furthering my knowledge about American history and …show more content…
The reason behind that is the fact that only one candidate has showed up thus far, and he only attended one meeting. I tried my best to spread the word about the organization, but unfortunately everyone I have found cannot become a citizen. It is truly frustrating and upsetting knowing there are many people who would adore to take the Exam, but who are unable to. Those people, who are undocumented, also frequently suffer from discrimination and constant fear. Media outlets, such as Fox news, are a great example of how many undocumented individuals suffer. Earlier in the year there was a fire that killed five Mexicans. The article focuses much more on their status than in the fact that they died (Five Mexicans who died in Michigan house fire were in US illegally, 2016). Media in general also tends to spread hatred towards immigrants, which might make even those who are eligible to become citizens scared. Those who have spent years undocumented, and later were given the chance to become a citizen, might believe that it was some ploy for them to be deported. Besides all of that, there is also the financial issue. There is a fee to be payed to apply for naturalization, which makes the application harder for those who are not wealthy (Immigration Myths and Facts,