Citizen U.S.A.: A 50 State Road Trip

Eight years ago, Alexandra Pelosi’s husband, Michiel Vos, was one of millions of immigrants who came to America. He seemed happy as a resident alien living in New York – until the couple’s first baby was born. “I can’t be a foreigner in my own family,” Pelosi remembers him saying. So Michiel underwent a five-step process to become a U.S. citizen, requiring that he: 1) be a permanent resident for three to five years; 2) be able to read, write and speak English; 3) be a person of good moral character; 4) pass a civics test; and 5) take an oath of allegiance to the U.S.A. After his naturalization, remembers Pelosi, “Something changed.” Michiel felt a new sense of belonging; he was no longer a foreigner. Her husband’s example inspired Pelosi to embark on a road trip across America, “to experience the moment new citizens take their oath, to find out why so many people are willing to renounce their birth country and swear allegiance to the United States of America.”Show more