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Publications

07/4/2017

Cities for Citizenship 2016 Impact Report

The C4C initiative is premised on the idea that when municipal leaders develop and fund naturalization efforts to encourage eligible residents to apply for US citizenship, it produces substantial economic and civic benefits for all of their constituents. The United States is currently home to 8.8 million legal permanent residents who are eligible to naturalize. Naturalization has well-documented benefits for those eligible, as well as for the cities and counties where they live. When eligible residents become US citizens, it not only boosts local economies and raises tax revenue, but also contributes to the financial security and civic engagement of immigrant families. Despite the benefits of naturalization, less than nine percent of eligible legal permanent residents become US citizens each year. Cities and counties have an important role to play in both encouraging eligible residents to apply for citizenship and removing barriers faced by many in what can be a long and complex naturalization process.