Halimah has lived in the U.S. for over four decades, but it was not until her employer, the University of Michigan, offered assistance with the naturalization process that the daunting task of applying for citizenship became less complicated and within reach. The University’s partnership with New American Workforce has allowed many like Halimah to begin the process of becoming a U.S. citizen in a friendly, familiar setting, with information sessions and workshops conducted right there, on campus.
Halimah first came to the United States from her native Malaysia to attend college at the University of Michigan, where she would later find employment. She noted that one of the major obstacles in her path to naturalization was relinquishing her Malaysian citizenship, as dual citizenship is not available in her country of birth. She admitted it was a tough decision, but she has considered the U.S. her home now for quite some time. She has resided in the U.S. longer than she had in Malaysia, and the majority of her family lives here. As a new U.S. citizen, she looks forward to participating more in her community, including the chance to vote in local and national elections.
The workshops helped me go forward with the process, it made it less scary and easier.
New American Workforce partners with employers to provide citizenship sessions at the worksite. Halimah explained how these sessions made the paperwork and requirements easier to understand and facilitated the entire process. “This really made it much easier for me,” she shared, commending her employer for making these services available and caring for their employees and the University community. “I would say it is one of the best benefits of working for the University of Michigan,” she added.
Reflecting on her experiences, Halimah said it was great to see others in a similar situation as herself. “The workshops helped me go forward with the process, it made it less scary and easier. I felt safe, and it felt good to see other people going through the same thing. I thought, ‘These people are just the same as me.’”