A growing number of Californians wish to become “Foreign Born Mexican Citizens” with dual citizenship. The process has now become “muy facile” with a few documents, a reasonable legal fee, and an investment…
From “California’s Dual Citizenship Problem”, by Kyle Brady, July 6, 2011, S.F. Examiner
For those Americans of Mexican parentage who wish to become dual citizens, as a “Foreign Born Mexican Citizen,” the process has now become easier, thanks to the Mexican government: a few documents, a small fee, and a half-hour are the only requirements [1]. This, essentially, allows children who were born in America, or became citizens through a parent’s status, to be repatriated as Mexicans without any real requirements or difficulties, other than that of being born under the proper circumstances.
As a result of being a “Foreign Born Mexican Citizen,” these individuals have all the rights of a traditional Mexican citizen, which means they can vote, receive various benefits issued or directed by the government, freely travel into and within Mexico, and, notably, one day become President. The American system has different requirements for offices such as the Presidency, where only a natural born citizen can become President – the American equivalent of a retroactive “Foreign Born” citizenship has far greater restrictions. More importantly, however, American citizenship can be jeopardized through the application for citizenship with another country, turning retroactive citizenship into a dangerous affair.
California has a large number of foreign born individuals… than anywhere else in the country [2], which makes dual citizenship an issue for both California and the country. Much has been written and said on the problems of culture and integration within California, a large portion of which is isolationist at best and racist at worst, but the legitimate concerns of integration are exacerbated by dual citizenship: these are individuals who were born American citizens, raised in a household where the allegiance is not strictly to the United States, and are then given citizenship for a country that they have likely only visited.