International Herald Tribune Editorial - The price of citizenship

International Herald Tribune Editorial - The price of citizenship
Copyright by The International Herald Tribune
Published: February 4, 2007

With one hand, Lady Liberty lifts her lamp beside the golden door. With the other, she roots around in an immigrant's wallet, plucking out bills. It's not an appealing image, but that's where Americans are, now that Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced plans to raise fees sharply to cover its costs.

The agency is entirely dependent on fees it collects. It is also notable for backlogs and what its director, Emilio Gonzalez, acknowledges are "dingy buildings" and "rude employees." Gonzalez promises that if the agency is granted an average increase of 66 percent in the price of visas and citizenship papers, it will take other steps to fulfill its responsibilities, the costs of which have risen sharply since 9/11.

What this means for aspiring immigrants is simple: more cash upfront. The application fee for citizenship would rise to $595 from $330. The fee for permanent residency would increase to $905 from $325, and charges for bringing in a foreign spouse or employee would more than double. Refugees and victims of human trafficking or sex crimes would still have their fees waived, and other applicants could request hardship waivers.

Advocacy groups on both sides of the debate agree that the increases are exorbitant, and we agree. The proposed fees would slam the door on many people who desperately want to be part of America.

The blame clearly lies with Congress, which has required the agency to support itself entirely with fees. Congress should abandon this misguided rule and allocate the money to run the agency efficiently. All Americans benefit from the healthy flow of naturalized citizens, and all Americans should help pay for it.