ESL Podcast 857 – Being Arrested by the Police

ESL Podcast 857 – Being Arrested by the Police 

You have a right to remain silent, but at least listen to this episode to find out what to do the next time you’re arrested. Download Podcast 

Diversity on Display at US Presidential Inauguration

VOAVideo: Diversity on Display at US Presidential Inauguration

Hundreds of thousands of people came to Washington, Monday, to witness President Barack Obama's second inauguration. VOA's Brian Padden was out among the crowd for the ceremony and talked to people representing the growing diversity of the American electorate.

President Obama Delivers His Second Inaugural Address

wh.gov: President Obama Delivers His Second Inaugural Address

President Obama takes the oath of office at the U.S. Capitol and delivers his second inaugural address. transcript

THE PRESIDENT: Vice President Biden, Mr. Chief Justice,
members of the United States Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:

Each time we gather to inaugurate a President we bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution. We affirm the promise of our democracy. We recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names. What makes us exceptional -- what makes us American -- is our allegiance to an idea articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Today we continue a never-ending journey to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time. For history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they’ve never been self-executing; that while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth. (Applause.) The patriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few or the rule of a mob. They gave to us a republic, a government of, and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed.

And for more than two hundred years, we have.

Through blood drawn by lash and blood drawn by sword, we learned that no union founded on the principles of liberty and equality could survive half-slave and half-free. We made ourselves anew, and vowed to move forward together.

Together, we determined that a modern economy requires railroads and highways to speed travel and commerce, schools and colleges to train our workers.

Together, we discovered that a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play.

Together, we resolved that a great nation must care for the vulnerable, and protect its people from life’s worst hazards and misfortune.

Through it all, we have never relinquished our skepticism of central authority, nor have we succumbed to the fiction that all society’s ills can be cured through government alone. Our celebration of initiative and enterprise, our insistence on hard work and personal responsibility, these are constants in our character.

But we have always understood that when times change, so must we; that fidelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges; that preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action. For the American people can no more meet the demands of today’s world by acting alone than American soldiers could have met the forces of fascism or communism with muskets and militias. No single person can train all the math and science teachers we’ll need to equip our children for the future, or build the roads and networks and research labs that will bring new jobs and businesses to our shores. Now, more than ever, we must do these things together, as one nation and one people. (Applause.)

This generation of Americans has been tested by crises that steeled our resolve and proved our resilience. A decade of war is now ending. (Applause.) An economic recovery has begun. (Applause.) America’s possibilities are limitless, for we possess all the qualities that this world without boundaries demands: youth and drive; diversity and openness; an endless capacity for risk and a gift for reinvention. My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment, and we will seize it -- so long as we seize it together. (Applause.)

For we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it. (Applause.) We believe that America’s prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class. We know that America thrives when every person can find independence and pride in their work; when the wages of honest labor liberate families from the brink of hardship. We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American; she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of God but also in our own. (Applause.)

We understand that outworn programs are inadequate to the needs of our time. So we must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government, revamp our tax code, reform our schools, and empower our citizens with the skills they need to work harder, learn more, reach higher. But while the means will change, our purpose endures: a nation that rewards the effort and determination of every single American. That is what this moment requires. That is what will give real meaning to our creed.

We, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity. We must make the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit. But we reject the belief that America must choose between caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the generation that will build its future. (Applause.) For we remember the lessons of our past, when twilight years were spent in poverty and parents of a child with a disability had nowhere to turn.

We do not believe that in this country freedom is reserved for the lucky, or happiness for the few. We recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, any one of us at any time may face a job loss, or a sudden illness, or a home swept away in a terrible storm. The commitments we make to each other through Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security, these things do not sap our initiative, they strengthen us. (Applause.) They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great. (Applause.)

We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. (Applause.) Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires and crippling drought and more powerful storms.

The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition, we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries, we must claim its promise. That’s how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure -- our forests and waterways, our crop lands and snow-capped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God. That’s what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared.

We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war. (Applause.) Our brave men and women in uniform, tempered by the flames of battle, are unmatched in skill and courage. (Applause.) Our citizens, seared by the memory of those we have lost, know too well the price that is paid for liberty. The knowledge of their sacrifice will keep us forever vigilant against those who would do us harm. But we are also heirs to those who won the peace and not just the war; who turned sworn enemies into the surest of friends -- and we must carry those lessons into this time as well.

We will defend our people and uphold our values through strength of arms and rule of law. We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully –- not because we are naïve about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift suspicion and fear. (Applause.)

America will remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe. And we will renew those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crisis abroad, for no one has a greater stake in a peaceful world than its most powerful nation. We will support democracy from Asia to Africa, from the Americas to the Middle East, because our interests and our conscience compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom. And we must be a source of hope to the poor, the sick, the marginalized, the victims of prejudice –- not out of mere charity, but because peace in our time requires the constant advance of those principles that our common creed describes: tolerance and opportunity, human dignity and justice.

We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths –- that all of us are created equal –- is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall; just as it guided all those men and women, sung and unsung, who left footprints along this great Mall, to hear a preacher say that we cannot walk alone; to hear a King proclaim that our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on Earth. (Applause.)

It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. (Applause.) Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law –- (applause) -- for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well. (Applause.) Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote. (Applause.) Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity -- (applause) -- until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country. (Applause.) Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia, to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for and cherished and always safe from harm.

That is our generation’s task -- to make these words, these rights, these values of life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness real for every American. Being true to our founding documents does not require us to agree on every contour of life. It does not mean we all define liberty in exactly the same way or follow the same precise path to happiness. Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-long debates about the role of government for all time, but it does require us to act in our time. (Applause.)

For now decisions are upon us and we cannot afford delay. We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate. (Applause.) We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect. We must act, knowing that today’s victories will be only partial and that it will be up to those who stand here in four years and 40 years and 400 years hence to advance the timeless spirit once conferred to us in a spare Philadelphia hall.

My fellow Americans, the oath I have sworn before you today, like the one recited by others who serve in this Capitol, was an oath to God and country, not party or faction. And we must faithfully execute that pledge during the duration of our service. But the words I spoke today are not so different from the oath that is taken each time a soldier signs up for duty or an immigrant realizes her dream. My oath is not so different from the pledge we all make to the flag that waves above and that fills our hearts with pride.

They are the words of citizens and they represent our greatest hope. You and I, as citizens, have the power to set this country’s course. You and I, as citizens, have the obligation to shape the debates of our time -- not only with the votes we cast, but with the voices we lift in defense of our most ancient values and enduring ideals. (Applause.)

Let us, each of us, now embrace with solemn duty and awesome joy what is our lasting birthright. With common effort and common purpose, with passion and dedication, let us answer the call of history and carry into an uncertain future that precious light of freedom.

Thank you. God bless you, and may He forever bless these United States of America. (Applause.)


END
12:10 P.M. EST

CITIZENSHIP TEST: Krestos Negasi (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

Prepare for your citizenship interview and Martin Luther King Day with a multiple choice test about Krestos Negasi's interview and 10 USCIS questions. (download pdf)

This test was inspired by the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. AND…

 “Holding the Bag” (a high beginning ESL novel) by Ana Gianola, 978-1-56420-544-5

Negasi is a Washington DC taxi driver from Ethiopia who has been in the U.S. for many years and has a family. He accidentally becomes involved in a robbery and faces a moral issue.

Thanks to NewReadersPress.com for their outstanding ESL/Citizenship resources. My students & I love you!

Obama and Biden's Inaugurations

wh.gov: President Obama takes the Oath of Office

President Barack Obama takes the oath of office in an official swearing-in ceremony at the White House. January 20, 2013.

wh.gov Vice President Biden Takes the Oath of Office

Vice President Joe Biden takes the oath of office in an official swearing-in ceremony at the Naval Observatory. January 20, 2013.

For more info, check out ELCivics.com Presidential Inauguration and Martin Luther King, Jr lessons.

Washington Prepares for Obama Inauguration

VOAvideo: Washington Prepares for Obama Inauguration

As it does every four years, Washington is preparing for the spectacle of a presidential inauguration. President Obama's official inauguration in January 20, 2013 and his public inauguration and celebration in January 21, 2013--Martin Luther King Jr Day!

Buổi Giao Tiếp Công Chúng của USCIS / Vietnamese Language Engagement Invitation

Vietnamese Language Engagement Invitation (English version)

On February 21st, 2013, USCIS will be hosting a live public engagement in Santa Ana, CA. Participants may come to the office, view by web, or listen on the phone. View the video for more details.

Xem bằng tiếng Việt: http://youtu.be/VBnvPwJ2bG8

Buổi Giao Tiếp Công Chúng của USCIS (Vietnamese Public Engagement at USCIS)

Giao Tiếp bằng tiếng Việt. Ngày 21 tháng 2, năm 2013. 2:00 giờ chiều (giờ chuẩn Thái Bình Dương).

West Wing Week: 01/18/13 or "#NowIsTheTime"

West Wing Week: 01/18/13 or "#NowIsTheTime"

This week, President Hamid Karzai came to the White House, as did nine newly posted foreign ambassadors and the President held the final news conference of his first term before initiating 23 separate executive actions to prevent gun violence

USCIS Citizenship Teacher Training Seminars

New to teaching US Citizenship?

The USCIS is hosting a series of free full-day teachers training seminar conducted by for ESL, civics and citizenship administrators, teachers and volunteers of adults. Other personnel (e.g., support staff, attorneys) are also welcome to attend. NEW resources, hands-on teaching materials, and information will be shared。 Register online at www.uscis.gov/teachertraining or fax the online registration form to 202-272-1316 to the attention of Office of Citizenship. The deadline to register is January 18, 2013. Please email any questions to office.of.citizenship@uscis.dhs.gov directly.

(I'm planning to go to the Jan 31 San Jose session--see you there!)

USCIS Policy Manual

uscis.gov: USCIS Policy Manual

In April 2010, USCIS began an unprecedented review of our policies by gathering input from thousands of agency employees, customers, and stakeholders. One result of that review is a new centralized online resource, the USCIS Policy Manual.

Please take a moment to view our video below and explore the Policy Manual and supporting resources. The Policy Manual is designed to adapt easily to changes in immigration law and policy. A keyword search function and numerous charts, graphs and process flow maps enable easy navigation and research. Users will also find helpful links to other adjudicative resources.

The new Policy Manual will ultimately replace USCIS's current Adjudicators Field Manual, or AFM, and the current USCIS Immigration Policy Memoranda website. Additional volumes will be phased in as they are completed. We released the first completed volume of the Policy Manual, covering Citizenship and Naturalization, on January 7, 2013. To provide customers and stakeholders time to transition, the policies contained in the Citizenship and Naturalization volume will be effective on Jan. 22, 2013.

For more info about the public meetings which discuss the new USCIS manual, see USCIS Public Engagements.

USCIS Webinars on January 16 and January 17

For more info, see USCIS Public Engagements.

Dear Stakeholder, Last Friday I sent you information on tomorrow’s teleconference with Director Mayorkas regarding  the new Policy Manual being launched today (1/7/13.) This first release covers citizenship and  naturalization. Future releases will add benefit types and will gradually expand to cover all USCIS  policies. USCIS will host a series of webinars this month to give you an opportunity to learn about the policy  manual and ask questions about its use and features. The schedule for the webinar series is as follows: Date Time (all times Eastern) Thursday, January 10 1– 2 p.m. Wednesday, January 16 1– 2 p.m. Thursday, January 17 3– 4 p.m. To Participate in a Session: Any interested parties may participate in these webinars. If you wish to attend, please email the  Public Engagement Division at Public.Engagement@uscis.dhs.gov no later than the day  before the session. To participate in a particular session, please reference the following in the subject line: To Participate In the Session On Please Reference Thursday, January 10 Policy Manual – January 10 Wednesday, January 16 Policy Manual – January 16 Thursday, January 17 Policy Manual – January 17 Please include your full name and the organization you represent in the body of the email. Following your registration, the Public Engagement Division at the CSPE office in  Washington DC will provide an email confirmation with additional details about how to  participate in the webinar you selected.

For more info, see USCIS Public Engagements.

USCIS Stakeholder Meeting on January 15

For more info, see USCIS Public Engagements.

Dear Stakeholder,

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas invites interested individuals to participate in a stakeholder engagement and meet and greet on Tuesday, January 15, at 1:00pm (Eastern). Please note that this engagement was previously scheduled for Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at 1pm (Eastern). If you have already registered to participate, you do not need to respond separately to this message.

On January 7, 2013, USCIS published the first volume of a comprehensive new online Policy Manual. This first volume covers Citizenship and Naturalization. The transition to a centralized online policy resource is the result of an unprecedented agency-wide review of all adjudication and customer service policies.

During the engagement, Director Mayorkas will discuss the Policy Manual, highlight new citizenship and naturalization-related policies, and answer questions. In addition, Director Mayorkas will provide agency updates on such initiatives as the Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals process, the USCIS immigrant fee, and others.

Immediately following the engagement, Director Mayorkas welcomes stakeholders to remain for a meet and greet to welcome the New Year.

To Participate in the Session
You may participate in this engagement in person or by telephone. To register, please email the Public Engagement Division no later than Monday, January 14, 2013 at Public.Engagement@uscis.dhs.gov. Reference the following in the subject line of your email:

If you plan to attend in person, please reference “Director – In Person”
If you plan to attend by phone, please reference “Director – By Phone”

Please include your full name and the organization you represent in the body of the email.

To Join the Session
If you are attending in person, please be sure to bring photo identification and arrive at least 15 to 20 minutes early to allow extra time to complete the security process. If you are attending by phone, please use the information below to join the session. We recommend calling in at least 10 minutes before the start of the teleconference.

Call-in Number: 888-989-3320
Passcode: Director

Many Thanks,
USCIS Public Engagement Division

For more info, see USCIS Public Engagements.

On the Line "The New Politics of Immigration" part 1

VOAVideo: On the Line "The New Politics of Immigration" part 1

US Farmers Back Immigration Reform

VOANews: US Farmers Back Immigration Reform

Immigration reform is expected to be back on the agenda in the new U.S. Congress, after an election in which voters with Latino roots decisively supported President Obama's bid for a second term. Most of the U.S. farm workforce is made up of illegal Latino immigrants, despite a guest-worker program which would allow them to enter and work in the U.S. legally. However, farmers say that system is broken. VOA's Steve Baragona reports.

West Wing Week: 01/11/13 or "The Interests of Our Country"

West Wing Week: 01/11/13 or "The Interests of Our Country"

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, the President nominated a bipartisan slate of leaders to key administration jobs and the Vice President met with a wide array of organizations to talk about efforts to reduce gun violence.

American History: Early Leaders Debate the Issue of Presidential Powers

USCIS 100:15. Who is in charge of the executive branch?

VOANews: American History: Early Leaders Debate the Issue of Presidential Powers

In May of 1787, a group of America's early leaders met in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They planned to amend the Articles of Confederation. That document established a loose union of the 13 states. Instead, they wrote a completely new constitution. It created America's system of government and recognized the rights of its citizens. (read more)

• listen
• download mp3
• download pdf

USCIS 100:15. Who is in charge of the executive branch?

▪ the President

American History: Meeting in Philadelphia to Write a Constitution

USCIS:66. When was the Constitution written?

VOA Learning English American History: Meeting in Philadelphia to Write a Constitution

In May of 1787, a group of America's early leaders met in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They planned to amend the Articles of Confederation. That document established a loose union of the 13 states. Instead, they wrote a completely new constitution. It created America's system of government and recognized the rights of its citizens. (read more)

• download pdf
• listen
• download mp3

USCIS:66. When was the Constitution written?

▪ 1787

American History: States Plan for Constitutional Convention

USCIS 100:65. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?

VOA Learning English American History: States Plan for Constitutional Convention

This week in our series, we begin the story of a document that defined a nation: the United States Constitution. The 13 American colonies declared their independence from Britain in 1776. But they had to fight for that independence in a long war that followed. During that war, the states were united by an agreement called the Articles of Confederation. (read more)

• listen

USCIS 100:65. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?

▪ The Constitution was written.
▪ The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution.

A Body of Laws to Govern a New Nation

USCIS 100:2. What does the Constitution do?

VOANews: A Body of Laws to Govern a New Nation

The United States became a nation in 1776. Less than a century later, in the 1860s, it was nearly torn apart. A civil war took place, the only one in the nation's history. States from the North and the South fought against each other. The conflict involved the right of the South to leave the Union and deal with issues -- especially the issue of slavery -- its own way. (read more)

• listen
• download pdf

USCIS 100:2. What does the Constitution do?

▪ sets up the government
▪ defines the government
▪ protects basic rights of Americans

New US Congress Sworn In

USCIS 100:23. Name your U.S. Representative.

Members of the 113th U.S. Congress, many accompanied by family members, take the oath of office in the House of Representatives chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. (read more)

Fiscal Cliff Deal Highlights Messy US Democracy in Action

VOAVideo: Fiscal Cliff Deal Highlights Messy US Democracy in Action

The partisan polarization and political dysfunction on display during the recent "fiscal cliff" budget negotiations has left many people pessimistic about the U.S. democratic system's ability to function. VOA's Brian Padden has more on what seems to be a perpetual state of gridlock in Washington.

West Wing Week: 01/04/13 or "Welcome to 2013: The Annual Resolutions Edition!"

West Wing Week: 01/04/13 or "Welcome to 2013: The Annual Resolutions Edition!"

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, the President spent several days in talks with Congressional leaders in an ultimately successful effort to reach a bipartisan compromise around the central promise of the president's re-election campaign: preventing an income tax increase on middle class families while asking the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans to pay more to help deal with our deficit. Also White House staffers shared some of their New Year's resolutions.

House Speaker Boehner Re-elected Despite Dissent from Republican Caucus

USCIS 100:47. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?

VOAVideo: House Speaker Boehner Re-elected Despite Dissent from Republican Caucus

Following a rough first term, with battles over taxes and spending cuts, Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner has won re-election to that post. Analysts say the Republican leader will likely face more turbulence, with some members of his own party rebelling against him and any compromise with President Barack Obama and Democrats. VOA Congressional Correspondent Cindy Saine reports from Capitol Hill, where a brand new House and Senate have been sworn in.]]

USCIS 100:47. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?

• John Boehner

Also see VOAVideo: US Lawmakers Approve Fiscal Cliff Deal

New Video, New Podcast, New Year, New Citizen!

uscitizenpod: New Year, New Citizen video

N-400 Interview with Teacher Lisa Lau (Hong Kong)  
based on the N-400 section practices. 

• After her mock interview, Teacher Lisa gives some tips about how to prepare for your citizenship interview. 

(download mp3)

New Year, New Citizenship Interview with Teacher Lisa Lau (Hong Kong)

N-400 Interview with Teacher Lisa Lau (Hong Kong)  
based on the N-400 section practices. 

• After her mock interview, Teacher Lisa gives some tips about how to prepare for your citizenship interview. 

(download mp3)

N-400 Interviews by Part/Section

• Part 1: Name
• Part 2 and 3: Eligibility and Personal Info
• Part 4 and 5: Address and Criminal Record Info
• Part 6: Residence and Employment History
• Part 6: Employment History (only)
• Part 7: Travel
• Part 8: Marital History
• Part 9: Children

N-400 Section 10 Interviews

• Part 10A: General Questions
• Part 10BC: Affiliations
• Part 10D: Moral Character
• Part 10EFG: Deportation and Military Service
• Part 10H: Oath Requirements

E PLURIBUS

US Flag Reinvented To Reflect Immigrant Heritage

New Patriotic Star Stamp Coming in 2013

USCIS 100:97. Why does the flag have 50 stars?

In 2013, USPS will continue its long tradition of patriotism with the release of the Patriotic Star stamp. (read more)

USCIS 100:97. Why does the flag have 50 stars?*

▪ because there is one star for each state
▪ because each star represents a state
▪ because there are 50 states

West Wing Week: 12/28/12 or "Best of the West (Wing Week)"

wh.gov: West Wing Week: 12/28/12 or "Best of the West (Wing Week)"

Welcome to the "Best of the West (Wing Week)!" That's right, folks, West Wing Week took some time over the holidays to reflect on a busy year in video, and to bring you some highlights from the archive. But first, a quick wrap up of the President's week.

Obama Named Time's Person of the Year

USCIS 100:28. What is the name of the President of the United States now?

VOAVideo: Obama Named Time's Person of the Year

Time Magazine has named President Barack Obama its "Person of the Year" for 2012, following a tumultuous year in U.S. politics. Mr. Obama won re-election after a hard-fought campaign against Republican Mitt Romney. But the president has no shortage of challenges awaiting him in a second term, as we hear from VOA national correspondent Jim Malone.

USCIS 100:28. What is the name of the President of the United States now?*

▪ Barack Obama
▪ Obama

USCS 100:10 Freedom of Religion

MP3 USCIS 100:10. What is freedom of religion?

· You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.

PDF USCIS 100:10. M638 Quick Civic Lesson, more historical background, USPS stamps, and dictation!

1. New Year Day is January 1st.

2. New York City was the first capital of the United States

3. You are free to practice any religion or not practice a religion.

(originally posted Thursday, February 3, 2011)

Washington Crossing the Delaware, Christmas Night 1776

Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emmanuel Leutze, 1861

uscitizenpod: A brief history (and puzzle) of Washington Crossing the Delaware, Christmas Night 1776 (download pdf)

Holidays at the White House 2012

wh.com: Holidays at the White House 2012

Go behind the scenes as volunteers decorate the White House for the holidays. See Bo inspect the decorations, the 2012 White House Menorah, holiday ginger crinkles recipe from the White House pastry chef and more at http://www.whitehouse.gov/holidays

White House Time-Lapse: The 2012 Gingerbread Dough White House

wh.gov: White House Time-Lapse: The 2012 Gingerbread Dough White House

Happy Holidays America!! http://www.whitehouse.gov/holidays

Senator Kerry Has Extensive Foreign Policy Credentials

USCIS 100:36. What are two Cabinet-level positions?

VOAVideo: Senator Kerry Has Extensive Foreign Policy Credentials

President Barack Obama's expected choice to lead the State Department after Hillary Clinton's departure, Democratic Senator John Kerry, has vast experience on the world stage gained through a lifetime of public service. VOA Senate correspondent Michael Bowman has more in this report.

USCIS 100:36. What are two Cabinet-level positions?

▪ Secretary of Agriculture
▪ Secretary of Commerce
▪ Secretary of Defense
▪ Secretary of Education
▪ Secretary of Energy
▪ Secretary of Health and Human Services
▪ Secretary of Homeland Security
▪ Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
▪ Secretary of the Interior
▪ Secretary of Labor
▪ Secretary of State
▪ Secretary of Transportation
▪ Secretary of the Treasury
▪ Secretary of Veterans Affairs
▪ Attorney General
▪ Vice President

Implementation of New USCIS Immigrant Fee Feb. 1

Implementation of New USCIS Immigrant Fee Feb. 1

New fee allows USCIS to recover the costs of processing immigrant visas after individuals receive their visa packages from the Department of State abroad.

On Feb. 1, 2013,U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin collecting a new USCIS Immigrant Fee of $165 from foreign nationals seeking permanent residence in the United States. This new fee was established in USCIS’s final rule adjusting fees for immigration applications and petitions announced on Sept. 24, 2010.

Who Needs to Pay the Fee

Any individual who on or after February 1, 2013 receives an immigrant visa package from a United States consulate or embassy abroad (including Canada and Mexico) will pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee.

(read more)

West Wing Week: 12/21/12 or "We Are There For Them"

wh.gov: West Wing Week: 12/21/12 or "We Are There For Them"

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, the President addressed the national tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, and promised meaningful action to address gun violence, while the White House invited some of its newest Pinterest followers, and the President spread some holiday cheer.

WHY?

NEWTOWN, CT – DECEMBER 18: A sign hangs near a cemetery where shooting victim Jessica Rekos was to be buried on December 18, 2012 in Newtown, Connecticut. Credit: Getty Images 

The 2012 White House Menorah

Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish holiday.

wh.gov: The 2012 White House Menorah

The 2012 White House Menorah is from Temple Israel in Long Beach, New York and a survivor of the damage inflicted by Hurricane Sandy.


USCIS 100:10. What is freedom of religion?

▪ You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.

CITIZENSHIP TEST: Lê Thị Hiệp (Đà Lạt, Vietnam)

CITIZENSHIP TEST: Lê Thị Hiệp (Đà Lạt, Vietnam)

Prepare for your citizenship interview with a multiple choice test about Lê Thị Hiệp's interview and 10 USCIS questions.

This quiz was inspired by my students from Vietnam--I am so thankful for all of my students!

(download pdf)

Killing of US School Children Sparks Gun Control Discussion

US Constitution Second Amendment

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, 
the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

VOAVideo: Killing of US School Children Sparks Gun Control Discussion

Friday's mass shooting in a Connecticut elementary school has again sparked a national discussion about gun control. While arms possession enjoys constitutional protection premised on the need to protect the security of a free state, thousands of Americans die every year because of gun violence. VOA Correspondent Peter Fedynsky looks at the issue from the point of view of the town reeling from the latest incidence of such violence.

USCIS 100:51. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?

▪ freedom of expression
▪ freedom of speech
▪ freedom of assembly
▪ freedom to petition the government
▪ freedom of worship
▪ the right to bear arms

Flag of Honor

President Obama Makes a Statement on the Shooting in Newtown, Connecticut

VOANews: 26 Dead in Connecticut School Shooting

President Obama Makes a Statement on the Shooting in Newtown, Connecticut

President Obama delivers a statement on today's shooting at a school in Newtown, Connecticut. December 14, 2012. (transcript)

THE PRESIDENT: This afternoon, I spoke with Governor Malloy and FBI Director Mueller. I offered Governor Malloy my condolences on behalf of the nation, and made it clear he will have every single resource that he needs to investigate this heinous crime, care for the victims, counsel their families.

We’ve endured too many of these tragedies in the past few years. And each time I learn the news I react not as a President, but as anybody else would -- as a parent. And that was especially true today. I know there’s not a parent in America who doesn’t feel the same overwhelming grief that I do.

The majority of those who died today were children -- beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old. They had their entire lives ahead of them -- birthdays, graduations, weddings, kids of their own. Among the fallen were also teachers -- men and women who devoted their lives to helping our children fulfill their dreams.

So our hearts are broken today -- for the parents and grandparents, sisters and brothers of these little children, and for the families of the adults who were lost. Our hearts are broken for the parents of the survivors as well, for as blessed as they are to have their children home tonight, they know that their children’s innocence has been torn away from them too early, and there are no words that will ease their pain.

As a country, we have been through this too many times. Whether it’s an elementary school in Newtown, or a shopping mall in Oregon, or a temple in Wisconsin, or a movie theater in Aurora, or a street corner in Chicago -- these neighborhoods are our neighborhoods, and these children are our children. And we're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics.

This evening, Michelle and I will do what I know every parent in America will do, which is hug our children a little tighter and we’ll tell them that we love them, and we’ll remind each other how deeply we love one another. But there are families in Connecticut who cannot do that tonight. And they need all of us right now. In the hard days to come, that community needs us to be at our best as Americans. And I will do everything in my power as President to help.

Because while nothing can fill the space of a lost child or loved one, all of us can extend a hand to those in need -- to remind them that we are there for them, that we are praying for them, that the love they felt for those they lost endures not just in their memories but also in ours.

May God bless the memory of the victims and, in the words of Scripture, heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds.

********************************************************************************

WE PETITION THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO: Immediately address the issue of gun control through the introduction of legislation in Congress

West Wing Week: 12/14/12 or "True to Ourselves and Our History"

West Wing Week: 12/14/12 or "True to Ourselves and Our History"

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, the First Family attended the annual Christmas in Washington concert, the Vice President talked #My2k over lunch with middle-class Americans and attended the Army Navy football game with Dr. Biden, while the President signed the Child Protection Act into law, visited the Daimler Detroit Diesel plant, joined conference calls with Latino leaders and Mayors, and invited regional television reporters to the White House for a series of interviews.

New Music Icons Series of Stamps Debuts in Early 2013 With Lydia Mendoza

In 2013, the U.S. Postal Service will kick off its new Music Icons series with this stamp honoring Lydia Mendoza (1916–2007), one of the first and greatest stars of Tejano music: (read more)

USCIS 100:93. Name one state that borders Mexico.

▪ California
▪ Arizona
▪ New Mexico
▪ Texas

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Virgen de Tepeyac,


Patroness of the Americas,


Mother Without Borders,


PRAY FOR US!

CITIZENSHIP TEST: Mok Kit-Ching (Hong Kong)

CITIZENSHIP TEST: Mok Kit-Ching (Hong Kong)

Prepare for your citizenship interview with a multiple choice test about Mok Kit-Ching's interview and 10 USCIS questions.

This quiz was inspired by my students from Hong Kong--I am so thankful for all of my students!

(download pdf)

Universal Declaration of Human Rights Day

For more info, visit Human Rights Action Center or
Universal Declaration of Human Rights - Simple English Wikipedia ...

You just watched a video about the Universal declaration of Human Rights.
USCIS 100:9. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

▪ life
▪ liberty
▪ pursuit of happiness

New US Congress is Most Diverse in History

USCIS 100:23. Name your U.S. Representative.

VOAVideo: New US Congress is Most Diverse in History

New US legislators - those taking office for the first time in January - are more diverse than at any other time in U.S. history. Barriers have been broken on ethnicity, sexual orientation and religion. In fact, among the 200 Democratic representatives, women and those of various minorities will outnumber straight white males. VOA's Carolyn Presutti introduces us to a few of the history-making lawmakers in a Congress that will more closely reflect the people who live in the United States.

USCIS 100:23. Name your U.S. Representative.

▪Answers will vary. [Residents of territories with nonvoting Delegates or Resident Commissioners may provide the name of that Delegate or Commissioner. Also acceptable is any statement that the territory has no (voting) Representatives in Congress.]

National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

USCIS 100:10. What is freedom of religion?



The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception located in Washington, D.C., honors Mary, the mother of Jesus, as Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the Patroness of the United States and celebrates the diversity of the American Catholicism. As a Roman Catholic, I am proud to share my religious and cultural heritage that informs my work as an ESL/Citizenship teacher. (take a virtual tour)

USCIS 100:10. What is freedom of religion?

▪ You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.

West Wing Week: 12/07/12 or "I Have To Pinch Myself"

wh.gov West Wing Week: 12/07/12 or "I Have To Pinch Myself"

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, the President visited a toy factory, hosted Kennedy Center Honorees, held the 2012 White House Tribal Nations Conference, welcomed the Prime Minister of Bulgaria, answered questions live on twitter, spoke on National Security achievements, visited a family who had written the White House, and lit the National Christmas Tree. That's November 30th to December 6th or "I Have to Pinch Myself."

USPS Goes Global With 2013 International Rate Stamp

USPS 100:90. What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?

USPS Goes Global With 2013 International Rate Stamp

Here is the 2013 international rate stamp USPS Global Forever®. With this stamp you’ll be able to mail a 1-ounce First-Class Mail International letter anywhere in the world. The stamp shows the Atlantic Ocean flanked by the Americas, Africa, and part of northern Europe.  (read more)

USPS 100:90. What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?

▪ Atlantic (Ocean)

Rosa Parks, Civil Rights Pioneer, To Be Honored With Stamp in 2013

USCIS 100:84. What movement tried to end racial discrimination?

Rosa Parks, Civil Rights Pioneer, To Be Honored With Stamp in 2013

Fifty-seven years ago this month, Rosa Parks was arrested after refusing to give up her seat at the front of the Cleveland Avenue bus in Montgomery, Alabama. The response to her arrest was a boycott of Montgomery’s bus system that lasted 381 days and thrust a young local pastor, Martin Luther King, Jr., into the spotlight. (read more)

USCIS 100:84. What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
▪ civil rights (movement)

USCIS 100:85. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?*
▪ fought for civil rights
▪ worked for equality for all Americans

CITIZENSHIP TEST: Tasanee Rungteranoon (Bangkok, Thailand)

Prepare for your citizenship interview with a multiple choice test about Tasanee Rungteranoon's interview and 10 USCIS questions. This quiz was inspired by my students from Thailand--I am so thankful for all of my students!

Download CITIZENSHIP TEST: Tasanee Rungteranoon (Bangkok, Thailand)

2013 Emancipation Proclamation Stamp Revealed

2013 Emancipation Proclamation Stamp Revealed

USPS will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that all slaves in the rebel states of the Confederacy “are, and henceforward shall be free.” (read more)

USCIS 100:75. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?*
▪ freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
▪ saved (or preserved) the Union
▪ led the United States during the Civil War

USCIS 100:76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
▪ freed the slaves
▪ freed slaves in the Confederacy
▪ freed slaves in the Confederate states

White House Time-Lapse: Raising the Commemorative HIV/AIDS Red Ribbon

wh.gov: White House Time-Lapse: Raising the Commemorative HIV/AIDS Red Ribbon

To recognize World AIDS Days, the White House installed a commemorative Red Ribbon on the north portico of the house. Go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/onap to learn more on how the administration is working towards an AIDS-free generation