WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Naturalize NOW! campaign, which has as a goal to assist a million eligible legal permanent residents in the citizenship process this year, was deeply troubled by the misinformation spread by Fox & Friends, Fox News’ Jillian Mele Wednesday morning.
She conflated the commitment expressed by 21 mayors across the United States in promoting U.S. citizenship among legal permanent residents with a position on undocumented immigrants. By making a nonpartisan campaign political, she betrayed her own feelings about who she believes is worthy of taking the step towards becoming a U.S. citizen and the Naturalize NOW! campaign denounces any attempt to misinform and malign those who embark on this process.
The Naturalize NOW! campaign issued the following response:
"The Naturalize NOW! campaign embodies the core values enshrined in our U.S. Constitution by striving to form a more perfect union. By assisting eligible legal permanent residents through the process of becoming U.S. citizens, we embrace the diversity and innovation which has made this country home to so many. It is a beautiful thing when legal permanent residents who are eligible chose to apply, pay a fee, go through a security background check, study English, U.S. history, and government, take a written and oral exam in English, and then raise their right hand and pledge allegiance to the U.S. Constitution.
"For this reason, we strongly condemn the fake news of Fox & Friends this morning, claiming that our campaign is trying to turn "illegals" into U.S. citizens. Our campaign has worked for years to assist the 8.8 million eligible legal permanent residents - immigrants with green cards - to become U.S. citizens. To claim otherwise is a lie, and we demand a retraction from Fox News.
"It is our mission to educate eligible legal permanent residents and now, apparently, Fox News, about the requirements to become a U.S. citizen. We will continue to do so in the midst of malicious attempts at misinformation and by reminding Fox & Friends that noteworthy naturalized U.S. citizens include Melania Trump, Arnold Schwarzenegger, andFox & Friends owner Rupert Murdoch. The citizenship process is open to anyone eligible.
"We just celebrated a holiday that holds a special significance to all Americans. It is our responsibility to fiercely defend against attacks that would tarnish the naturalization process and undermine legitimate efforts to educate legal residents about eligibility for citizenship."
She conflated the commitment expressed by 21 mayors across the United States in promoting U.S. citizenship among legal permanent residents with a position on undocumented immigrants. By making a nonpartisan campaign political, she betrayed her own feelings about who she believes is worthy of taking the step towards becoming a U.S. citizen and the Naturalize NOW! campaign denounces any attempt to misinform and malign those who embark on this process.
The Naturalize NOW! campaign issued the following response:
"The Naturalize NOW! campaign embodies the core values enshrined in our U.S. Constitution by striving to form a more perfect union. By assisting eligible legal permanent residents through the process of becoming U.S. citizens, we embrace the diversity and innovation which has made this country home to so many. It is a beautiful thing when legal permanent residents who are eligible chose to apply, pay a fee, go through a security background check, study English, U.S. history, and government, take a written and oral exam in English, and then raise their right hand and pledge allegiance to the U.S. Constitution.
"For this reason, we strongly condemn the fake news of Fox & Friends this morning, claiming that our campaign is trying to turn "illegals" into U.S. citizens. Our campaign has worked for years to assist the 8.8 million eligible legal permanent residents - immigrants with green cards - to become U.S. citizens. To claim otherwise is a lie, and we demand a retraction from Fox News.
"It is our mission to educate eligible legal permanent residents and now, apparently, Fox News, about the requirements to become a U.S. citizen. We will continue to do so in the midst of malicious attempts at misinformation and by reminding Fox & Friends that noteworthy naturalized U.S. citizens include Melania Trump, Arnold Schwarzenegger, andFox & Friends owner Rupert Murdoch. The citizenship process is open to anyone eligible.
"We just celebrated a holiday that holds a special significance to all Americans. It is our responsibility to fiercely defend against attacks that would tarnish the naturalization process and undermine legitimate efforts to educate legal residents about eligibility for citizenship."
