Citizenship Politics Redefining American Politics and Identity

This research paper examines the effects of politics on different aspects of citizenship within the United States. First, I will elaborate on the power of citizenship. Second, I will provide a broad understanding of birthright citizenship and the naturalization process. Third, I will explain how politics affects four key areas: Birthright Citizenship, Naturalization, the 2020 Census, and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). I will primarily be focusing on Hispanic and/or Latino communities in America. As explained in my paper, Hispanics and Latinos are some of the fastest growing communities within the United States. Additionally, in today’s political climate, the rhetoric towards immigrants from Latin American countries makes them a particularly marginalized group in the context of the politics of citizenship.

Citizenship Politics is a term I use to distinguish how politics over citizenship is different from other political conversations and describe how politics can influence and pose a threat to citizenship as a whole in America. In this paper, I will address how politics can influence birthright citizenship, the naturalization process, and other related government initiatives. For instance, I will discuss how politics can discourage Legal Permanents Residents from seeking citizenship. This paper will also show how Citizenship Politics permeates at the federal level, such as adding a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. Contrastingly, an analysis into a recent League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) settlement regarding voting rights in Arizona will also be provided. Furthermore, this paper will analyze how politics leads to the creation of reactive programs like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), an initiative offering temporary protection with no pathway to citizenship. In the end, this research paper offers solutions and long-term implications.