Why citizenship is important

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Allowing immigrants a path toward becoming citizens and fully integrating into everyday life in the United States will create a sense of belonging and attachment to our nation, just as it did for Irish, Italians and countless others who all had the chance to be full-fledged  Americans. We cannot allow those who have immigrated to our nation to believe they are just a permanent subclass of worker, without an opportunity to work toward their American Dream.  That idea of an underclass, a group that can reside in the U.S. legally but can never vote or become full equal members, runs completely contrary to the ideals upon which our nation was founded.

Creating the opportunity to earn citizenship is not simply the best thing to do for the identity of our nation. Creating that opportunity also has economic benefits that are unreachable by legalization-only immigration reform.  Citizenship opportunities would mean higher wages for naturalized immigrants immediately and over the long term.  Higher wages create more consumer spending.  That increased consumer spending would allow the U.S. economy to strengthen and grow. When our economy is strong, businesses benefit with increased revenue and they grow, expand and hire more American workers.

On the other hand, research shows significant economic costs, in terms of lost growth, earnings, tax revenues and jobs, associated with the failure to provide a path to earned citizenship for immigrant families. Compared to the benefits of citizenship, providing legal status alone to currently undocumented workers would, over the next decade, result in $568 billion less national productivity, and $321 billion less total income. 820,000 fewer total jobs would be created, and federal and state governments would lose out on $75 billion in additional tax revenue according to outside estimates.

Citizenship also creates certainty in the lives of hard-working immigrants, their families and employers.   Employers will not have to worry about having to retrain an employee, sometimes at high costs, as occurs when employees lose their work visas.  Along with the stability created for employees through citizenship comes stability needed for employers to invest in more education and job training.  A better educated and more experienced American workforce is key to a successful future for our nation.

It is our duty as elected officials to prepare America to be as competitive as possible in the global economy.  We must encourage our society to flourish as our people share a set of common goals. We must strengthen our nation by increasing the diversity of its population and workforce.

America was founded on the idea that we are a great nation that welcomes immigrants to our shores. We must reflect those foundations by continuing to move forward toward greater equality and opportunity for those living in the cities and towns that lie from sea to shining sea. Citizenship is the most precious gift we can give to those hardworking immigrants who contribute to our great nation. So, on Citizenship Day, let’s remember the priceless contributions immigrants have made to our country and continue the fight for comprehensive immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship.

Cardenas is a freshman lawmaker representing Califronia’s 29th Congressional District. He sits on the Budget; the Natural Resources; and the Oversight and Government Reform committees. Cartwright is a freshman lawmaker representing Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District. He serves on the Natural Resources and the Oversight and Government Reform committees.

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Attorney Saman Movassaghi, Esq.

Caring and compassionate, Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez is a Florida immigration attorney dedicated to producing the results her clients need. She has over 17 years of experience helping both corporate and individual clients with an emphasis in employment/investment cases and family adjustment cases.

As the Managing Attorney at Florida Immigration Law Counsel, Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez and her team are capable of representing and helping individuals looking to attain a Family VisaWork Visa, and Citizenship/Naturalization. Her experience successfully representing clients in front of the Department of Justice for cases involving Deportation/Removal Proceedings will lead to success in your case.

Her experience and expertise in immigration litigation has led to multiple Avvo awards and other accolades, including the Clients’ Choice for 2017 Immigration Attorney. Her clients also consistently post positive reviews on her Facebook page. Her experience has also allowed her to teach a new generation of lawyers as an adjunct professor of law at Nova Southeastern University, and she also regularly gives speeches on immigration matters.

Counselor Gonzalez is also experienced in helping corporate clients through the process of filing for Employment Visas, Labor Certifications, and Business and Investment Visas with the Department of Labor. She takes on the entire case from start to finish, simplifying the process for her clients and allowing them to focus on their business.

Fluent in English, Spanish, and Farsi – Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez is dedicated to making her clients feel comfortable and assured in making her their go-to immigration attorney in Florida. Her goal is to ensure that those who want to live the American dream have a professional fighting for them and making the process as painless as possible.

Saman’s passion for immigration law stems from her personal life as the daughter of immigrants. Her parents were recipients of the student F1 visa in 1971. Her father came into this country with the goal to improve his life and the life of his children. He earned a PhD in Civil Engineering and Business, instilling in his daughter a strong work ethic that she carries to this day. Saman saw firsthand what it means to be an immigrant and achieve the American Dream.

Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez can personally understand the struggle of immigrants and the children of immigrants navigating through the bureaucratic process of immigration law. Because of this, she dedicates herself fully and provides her personal attention to every case. She prides herself on developing a strong relationship with each and every client, and she is not afraid of pushing the envelope and looking for answers where other attorneys have failed.

Saman Movassaghi makes it her goal to provide you with only the best representation for immigration matters because she believes it’s time for you to live the American dream!