MELB EXCHANGES

Cities for Citizenship is a major national initiative aimed at increasing citizenship among eligible U.S. permanent residents and encouraging cities across the country to invest in citizenship programs. It is chaired by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, with support from the Center for Popular Democracy and the National Partnership for New Americans. Citi Community Development is the Founding Corporate Partner.

There are currently 8.8 million legal permanent residents in America who are eligible for citizenship – 52% of whom remain low-income. Their naturalization would provide access to better paying jobs (up to an 11% increase to their personal earnings), academic scholarships, and myriad other benefits. Cities for Citizenship will promote the expansion of naturalization and financial empowerment programs nationwide, boosting economic opportunity for our immigrants and our communities.

UBXT EXCHANGES

Collaboration with federal agencies and state governments can help strengthen municipal citizenship initiatives. Political leaders in immigrant-rich cities should use the annual budget process to argue for investment from their states in local naturalization programs. Cities can also use their influence at the federal level to argue for system-wide changes that will benefit their constituents.
 
In 2012, for example, the City of Los Angeles signed a letter of agreement with USCIS to coordinate outreach efforts to the city's 2.5 million citizenship-eligible residents. Cities can:

• Lobby at the state level for funding to support municipal naturalization initiatives.
• Advocate at the federal level for a reduction in naturalization fees, which are prohibitive for many low-income immigrants, and for other policy changes that would remove disincentives to naturalization. USCIS is actively considering a mechanism for fee reduction.
• Establish partnerships with USCIS to connect local efforts with federal resources.