US processing citizenship applications at fastest rate in a decade

Karah Rucker

THE UNITED STATES IS SEEING A SURGE IN THE NUMBER OF CITIZENSHIP APPLICATIONS BEING APPROVED – JUST IN TIME FOR NEW CITIZENS TO VOTE IN THEIR FIRST U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES ARE PROCESSING CITIZENSHIP REQUESTS AT THE FASTEST RATE IN A DECADE.

IN 2021 – IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR LONG PROCESS.

THIS FISCAL YEAR – PROCESSING TIME HAS BEEN CUT IN HALF TO LESS THAN FIVE MONTHS.

SINCE THE 2020 ELECTION, NEARLY 4 MILLION IMMIGRANTS HAVE GAINED U.S. CITIZENSHIP.

NATURALIZED VOTERS NOW REPRESENT ABOUT 10% OF THE U.S. ELECTORATE.

A RECENT POLL FROM THE NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR NEW AMERICANS SHOWS 97% OF NATURALIZED CITIZENS IN SWING STATES, AS WELL AS CALIFORNIA, PLAN TO VOTE THIS FALL.

54 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS SAY THEY’RE VOTING FOR HARRIS.

38% SAY THEY’RE VOTING FOR TRUMP.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ATTRIBUTES THE INCREASE IN CITIZENSHIP APPROVALS TO EFFORTS AIMED AT REDUCING THE BACKLOG OF APPLICATIONS – 

WHICH WAS NEARLY ONE MILLION FOLLOWING THE PANDEMIC.

A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TOLD THE L-A TIMES THE TIMING OF THE SPIKE IN APPROVALS IS NOT POLITICALLY MOTIVATED.

TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS,THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS IMPLEMENTED NEW RULES TO “PRIORITIZE NATURALIZATION APPLICATIONS”. 

THEY’VE STARTED ACCEPTING ONLINE APPLICATIONS, AND INCREASED IMMIGRATION SERVICES STAFFING . 

THEY HAVE ALSO REVERSED SEVERAL TRUMP ADMINISTRATION POLICIES – THAT RESTRICTED ELIGIBILITY FOR FEE WAIVERS, NOW MAKING IT EASIER FOR LOW-INCOME IMMIGRANTS TO APPLY FOR FREE.

AN ADDITIONAL 9 TO 12 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE U.S. ARE **ELIGIBLE TO NATURALIZE AND BECOME U.S. CITIZENS.

MOST OF THEM RESIDING IN CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK, TEXAS, AND FLORIDA.

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