Support migrant centric journalism today and donate
Pay your taxes, carry your green card all the time and do not engage in serious crimes like murder, rape and terrorism. This is some of the wisdom given to new immigrants by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services in a new guidebook.
The Department has recently released a manual titled 'Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants' to help them settle into their lives without much difficulty on their arrival in the country.
It provides an array of information on meeting the ordinary needs of life, like finding a job, paying taxes, minding money and getting health care.
The guide offers information about the responsibilities of being a permanent resident which include carrying proof of status (known as the green card) at all times, informing the Department of Homeland Security of changes of address, paying taxes.
The document is welcoming to newcomers but also candid in informing non-native residents of the consequence of misdeeds.
"Being a permanent resident is a 'privilege' and not a 'right'. The US government can take away your permanent resident status under certain conditions," it says.
Those conditions include committing serious crimes like murder, rape, terrorism and drug trafficking. The guide also notes consequences for lesser offenses like lying, drunkenness and failure to pay taxes or support a family.
With all those warnings, it encourages engagement in civic activity, and provides educational material about US history and government and some instruction on how an individual can become a US citizen with full rights to vote, serve in public office and carry a US passport.
