Do you know a person who came to the US as a child and is now old and not naturalized yet?

Question

I was just curious as to why some people don't become U.S. citizens and still have a green card even after many decades here. My friend's dad came from Germany at age 10 and he is now 48 and he says he doesn't want to become a US citizen because it would be like denying his roots. Do you know anyone like this? How old were they when they came and how old are they now? By the way I came here when I was 3 and I'm 30 now. I never gave it much thought to become a naturalized citizen because I've always considered myself American but I plan on doing it so I can vote.

Answer 1

Yes I know of someone. He is an immigrant from Ecuador who came here in 1968 in his early thirties. He is now around 70+years of age. He came legally with his green card already issued. He never became a US citizen as his dream was always to one day return back to the old country. He did not want to give up his old citizenship from Ecuador. This way he could always return and stay in his old country without any problem. He brought his young two young daugthers with him, Now they are aged 49 and 40. They also have never given up their green card to become American citizens. They say it makes it easier to be able to go back and forth to their old country which is Ecuador. The man now has a house down there and he is retired and lives here for the summer and go back home to Ecuador for the winter once every two years. for 4 months in the winter. The two daughters are now married and they and their husbands also have a house of their own down in the old country. They plan on using the houses for their retirement and starting a local buisness of their own when the time comes. This way they also will be able to travel back and forth between USA and Ecuador and live an almost double life all the while so that they can return home to their native country without any problem. They can also come back here in case they need medical help. (Serious operation possible cancer treatments etc).

So it really does not make any sense for them to become US citizens because what is really one vote worth. As the other answerer said, "One vote does not turn an election."
The other is to be able to enter their own country very easily at any time and to be able to remain thier indefinetly without having to leave because a 90 day tourist visa is up.

That is why many do not become a US citizen unless they can have dual citizenship. The US will allow dual citizenship from several countries such as Colombia, Guatemala Ireland Israel and probably a few more that I do not know. Then in that case more people might become citizens so as to have full benefits from both countries.

A green card (permanent resident status-I-551) allows you to remain here permanently enjoying almost all the benefits of US Citizenship except (voting and possibly being denied one or two types of employment ). Not much incentive to give up the right to be able to go back to a person's country where they had been born.

Here is a website that can help explain why people do not quickly give up their old citizenship to become American citizens:

I found the following website from another "Yahoo Answerer".
I have read it and you will then see why people don't quickly give up the citizenship of their native country to become US citizens. The following link may help give you more insight.
It is down below in the "source list"

Answer 2

Sorry, it seems to me that your dad's friend and you are not citizens of this country. If he has been here thirty eight years and not obtained the legal paperwork to do so, then he has join the millions more that anger so many citizens.
In your case if you were brought here at three years old and have not yet done the paperwork, go stand by your dad's friend.
This registration is not about being wise, it is complying with immigration laws. Some of the reference points made in answers are citizenship very necessary if you want to stay uninterrupted.
U.S. military, I served three years, I always felt all men need to serve and have supported all 5 of my nephews during their enlistment. Today standards have women and men serving together, different from when I grew up but I only follow the laws, not write them.
Jury duty is a responsibility of every citizen, seems no one wants to serve, they just do and continue on in life. This is a way to know laws and help decide the possibilities of unfair laws or the handling of applied laws.
Then the famous insurance for illegal, lots of people believe the illegal don't pay for this, but personally I have work with the illegal in fields, factories, and restaurants. They have come to me with question about deductions for insurance and taxes withheld from their paycheck.
But read the answers as one poster said and asked:
One vote isn't going to turn an election,....(link below)
..what's the point?
The point is the laws that govern us are to be made civil and fair by the makers, followed the people, broken by criminals and those unaware and the guest in this country.

Answer 3

The constitution says that the person must be a natural born citizen of the US, but does not define what a natural born citizen is. Various cases have been bought before the Supreme Court over this issue, but no comprehensive definition has emerged. So the practical answer for your friend is, run for president and see what happens. As precedent, Roger Calero, who was born in Nicaragua was included in the ballot for President in five states in 2008 and no question over his citizenship was raised.

Answer 4

As a citizen of another country when you try to come here legally you can expect to wait half you life, many people chose to come here illegally to keep from waisting their lifespan in the game, if the system and its overbearing designers would be fair then the American citizens trying to be reunited with their families those people would not have to break the law,,, for those who have no American family here should not be here, but i can tell you from experience that once you fall into the mindset of thinking all you have to do is fill out some papers and you can get your green card , that's going to be the start of your downward spiral into being deported, they use your honesty to destroy you if you tell them all they say thank you for the incriminating information that we can now use to lock you up with, sir if you don't want to make you life hell just do as you are doing and keep your mind off of getting a green card, keep this in mind i'm an american citizen, i worked in lower mexico until the american company went bust overnight i was without a place to live and almost without money, i went to the american consulet in mexico and ask for help to get me and my mexican wife back to my home in the usa, the told me to go back home and leave my wife their homeless for up to 3 years but they could not promiss she would ever get a visa because we married before we told the immigration service, we have been married almost 7 years and still waiting for a visa, can you now understand how crazy they really are and how you will be sorry if you try to get a visa, the sad thing is most all of the american public feel that whats told to them about comming to america by way of getting a visa is true and its very easy to do, but you see they never see the real truth because they never apply for a visa themselfs, you are willing to risk all just so you can vote, what are you thinking?

Answer 5

Good for you. Yes I know several. Their reasons vary. One man in particular though wants to be able to retire in Mexico and retains his citizenship so he will be able to own property there when he does. He is here legally before anyone asks. Brought here LEGALLY when he was 6. Oddly enough his grandmother who raised him became a US citizen at 70 when she felt she could finally speak English well enough. She took clases at night for English and US history/citizenship to do so.

Answer 6

Your friend's Dad need get his behind back to his roots in Germany. < Loyalty ?

Answer 7

No, I don't know anyone like that. It would seem like his heritage is in Germany, but his roots are in American soil now.

Answer 8

Your friend's Dad is wiser than you. One vote isn't going to turn an election, and citizenship makes you eligible to be drafted into the Military, called for jury duty, financially raped to pay for healthcare for illegals......what's the point?