Papers Please

As the immigration reform debate continues, we often hear about a possible “path to citizenship” for undocumented immigrants. PRI's The World picks apart what the current citizenship path actually involves, the obstacles some immigrants hit along the way, and why some people choose to put themselves on this path, while others opt out.
Donald Trump has some harsh words for El Chapo
Justice
Why do we have birthright citizenship, and should it change?
din
Justice
Why one woman’s fight to be with her husband wound up at the Supreme Court
Eglise de Dieu, a church in Harlem, has a congregation of around 200 people, most of whom have roots in Haiti. Songs alternate between English and Haitian Creole, with Creole lyrics projected.
Conflict & Justice
Here’s why a court ruling in the Dominican Republic is spurring international protests
Angel Ryono in elementary school
Culture
Citizenship? No thanks, I’ll pass for now
Anais Arias-Aragon poses for pictures with her certificate after receiving proof of U.S. citizenship
Development & Education
An Oregon high school class creates an alternate test for US citizenship
The Oath of Allegiance is held next to an American flag during a naturalization ceremony for citizen candidates in Washington, DC, on July 3, 2013.
Development & Education
What does the US citizenship exam actually test?
In 2012, Tarek Hamdi, from Egypt, received his US naturalization certificate. He first applied for citizenship in 2001 but faced more than a decade of delays and denials until he won his case.
Conflict & Justice
A recently-uncovered federal program turned one man’s path to citizenship into a 11-year trek
Immigrants take the oath of citizenship during a naturalization ceremony to become new citizens of the U.S. in New York.
Conflict & Justice
What’s the big deal about US citizenship?
A woman holds up her certificate of U.S. citizenship
Global Politics
Discussion: Why is citizenship so significant in the debate on immigration reform?
New citizens are naturalized during a ceremony in Oakland, California, on August 13, 2013.
Global Politics
Could you pass the test? International citizenship tests are often more interested in cultural quirks than national knowledge