Patriotism

AT THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER IN PHILADELPHIA, YOU CAN CERTAINLY SEE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES. FROM COLONIES TO CONSTITUTIONS, FROM REVOLUTIONS TO RATIFICATIONS, BEING A CITIZEN IS MORE THAN A RIGHT -- IT'S A RESPONSIBILITY.

Chris: ALL CITIZENS HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES. THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE ONCE THEY ARE 18 YEARS OLD. THEY CAN ALSO HOLD PUBLIC OFFICE. WILL YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND... CITIZENS HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES, TOO. I, WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR... ...THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY... THEY MUST RESPECT THE LAW. [ HORN HONKS ] THEY SHOULD VOTE. THEY MUST PAY TAXES. THEY SERVE ON JURIES AND MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON THE LAW. Children: ...UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC... Chris: CITIZENS OWE THEIR ALLEGIANCE, OR LOYALTY, TO THE UNITED STATES. ...INDIVISIBLE...

HOW DOES SOMEONE BECOME A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES? ANY PERSON BORN IN THIS COUNTRY IS A U.S. CITIZEN. ANYONE BORN IN ANOTHER COUNTRY CAN BECOME A CITIZEN, BUT IT TAKES TIME AND EFFORT. PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE UNITED STATES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES ARE IMMIGRANTS. THEY CAN BECOME U.S. CITIZENS IF THEY MEET SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS. ADULTS MUST LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES FOR FIVE YEARS. THEN THEY MUST TAKE A TEST. THE TEST ASKS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE U.S. GOVERNMENT AND AMERICAN HISTORY. IT ALSO TESTS A PERSON'S ABILITY TO READ, WRITE, AND SPEAK ENGLISH. THOSE WHO PASS THE TEST MAKE A PLEDGE TO BE LOYAL TO THEIR NEW COUNTRY. NOW THEY ARE U.S. CITIZENS. MINORS, OR CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN 18, BECOME CITIZENS WHEN THEIR PARENTS DO.

WHAT CHALLENGES DO NEW CITIZENS FACE? THIS IS NABIL. HI. GOOD MORNING. NABIL CAME TO AMERICA FROM EGYPT FIVE YEARS AGO. OKAY. TODAY HE WORKS AS A CAB DRIVER AND IS ONE OF THE 30 MILLION FOREIGN-BORN PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES.

[ MAN CHANTING IN ARABIC ] WHEN NABIL LEFT EGYPT, HIS FATHER TRIED TO STOP HIM. BUT NABIL WAS DETERMINED TO BECOME A U.S. CITIZEN. IN EGYPT, PRAYERS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE. [ CHANTING CONTINUES ] NABIL HAD TO FIND A JOB IN AMERICA THAT WOULD ALLOW HIM TO PRACTICE HIS RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS. NABIL BECAME A TAXI DRIVER. [ ENGINE TURNS OVER ] HE USES MAPS TO FIND HIS WAY AROUND THE CITY.

THIS ONE. HOW MUCH? $1. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. BEFORE THAT, HE WORKED IN A RESTAURANT, BUT HIS MANAGER HAD TO APPROVE HIS BREAKS FOR PRAYER. NABIL WANTED TO PRACTICE HIS FAITH AND ALSO HAVE A GOOD JOB. DRIVING A TAXI WAS THE PERFECT SOLUTION. [ HORNS HONK ]

AS AN IMMIGRANT, NABIL FACES MANY CHALLENGES. BUT THEY ARE ALL WORTH IT ON HIS WAY TO BECOMING A U.S. CITIZEN. ALL NEW U.S. CITIZENS ARE GUARANTEED THE SAME RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS UNDER THE LAW AS OTHER CITIZENS. THEY CAN TRUST THE GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN AND HELP DURING TIMES OF TROUBLE OR DISASTER. AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA CAUSED FLOODING AND DESTRUCTION IN NEW ORLEANS IN AUGUST 2005, MANY CITIZENS LOST THEIR JOBS. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAD TO EVACUATE, OR LEAVE, THEIR HOMES. MANY PEOPLE LOST EVERYTHING THEY OWNED AND HAD TO FIND NEW HOMES. JUST AS CITIZENS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE COUNTRY, THE GOVERNMENT HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP ITS CITIZENS FIND NEW HOMES AND NEW JOBS. CITIZENS ALSO HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES TO EACH OTHER. AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA, MANY PEOPLE DONATED MONEY OR HELPED IN OTHER WAYS. U.S. CITIZENS, YOUNG AND OLD, CAN EXPECT TO BE PROTECTED UNDER THE LAWS OF OUR NATION. DID YOU KNOW? THE CONSTITUTION STATES THAT ONLY NATURAL-BORN CITIZENS CAN HOLD THE OFFICES OF PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.