(San Franciso, CA)—As we celebrate Citizenship Day on September 17, the New Americans Campaign (NAC) is urging all 9 million eligible immigrants to start the naturalization process so they can fully participate in important 2024 elections at every level of government.
“Depending on where you are in the country, the naturalization application can take many months, so it’s important to start early,” said NAC Director Lucia Martel-Dow. “Eligible immigrants often don’t know how to take that final step since our immigration system is a myriad of confusing forms, policies, and unfortunately, the fees to apply for naturalization can be a deterrent for low-income people.”
The NAC is the largest collaborative devoted to increasing rates of naturalization among eligible lawful permanent residents, and it offers help to make this process easier. Anyone interested in becoming a citizen can start their journey with the NAC. Visit our website at www.newamericanscampaign.org where you can find answers to your questions about naturalization and connect with local organizations in your area that can help you on your journey.
Martel-Dow added that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) agency has substantially reduced current naturalization processing times, though this varies depending on location, with some taking approximately six months to process and others nearly a year.
“The final step of naturalization represents the culmination of a journey that often spans years, if not decades, of hard work and dedication,” Martel Dow said. “In 2021-2022, nearly 1 million immigrants became U.S. citizens, the third highest tally on record, which is remarkable given this occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. NAC hopes we can exceed that record in the very near future.”
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Led by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, the New Americans Campaign is a diverse nonpartisan national network of respected immigration organizations, legal services providers, faith-based organizations, immigrant rights groups, foundations and community leaders. The Campaign transforms the way aspiring citizens navigate the path to becoming new Americans. It is committed to connecting lawful permanent residents (LPRs) to trusted legal assistance and critical information that simplifies the naturalization process. Currently, our partners are located in over 20 metropolitan areas across the U.S. and comprise more than 200 organizations, as well as the following original funders who have made significant investments in support of aspiring citizens: the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Grove Foundation, the JPB Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the Open Society Foundations. Follow us on X at @newamericans and on LinkedIn at
https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-americans-campaign-nac/