US presents new orientation guidebook for immigrants

Brought out by US Citizenship and Immigration Services, the guide is available in English and would be translated into 10 languages.

In a move to reach out to the increasing number of immigrants, the United States has brought out a guidebook to provide newly arrived immigrants with basic information about American life, history and civics.

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Brought out by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, the guide is available in English and would be translated into 10 other languages.

According to Alfonso Aguilar, chief of the Office of Citizenship, the US is in the midst of the largest immigration wave in its history and the number of green cards issued is increasing. A green card is an identity card issued by the government to non-citizens who are legal permanent residents.

Addressing a press conference Washington on Thursday, Aguilar said: "Our nation is facing a great influx of immigrants. In the past three years, we've averaged about a million green cards a year. These are people who are coming here legally, whom the country accepts to come in and live and work permanently."

In the past, US immigration officials did not make efforts to reach out to immigrants, Aguilar admitted. Now, new immigrants could use the guidebook.

The 10 additional languages chosen for the guidebook include Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, Arabic, French and Portuguese.

The new booklet includes basic information about the banking system, public schools, health care and social security. Aguilar said it was also aimed at introducing them to what he described as common American civic values.