Campaign For American Citizenship

The process by which legal immigrants become naturalized U.S. citizens is on the verge of collapse. Almost two million eligible immigrants have paid their fees but are stuck in waiting lines that can last two to four years. Proposes to increase fees and impose more red tape threaten to make this bad situation worse.

Citizenship Delayed is Democracy Denied. Immigrants who are not citizens cannot vote, and a democracy that shuts out millions of people who want. to participate Is weakened, Our nations future citizens and our representative form of government deserve better. That's why organizations and individuals from across the country have formed the Campaign for American Citizenship.

The Campaign for American Citizenship is a nationwide effort designed Do restore citizenship to its rightful place as the cornerstone of American democracy and to preserve a tradition that has helped the United States emerge as the most successful nation in history. Specifically, our objective is to ensure that the naturalization process is fast, affordable, and has Impeccable integrity.

The Campaign Principles:

• As a nation of immigrants, we should strive to welcome America's newcomers into our civic society.
• Legal immigrants eligible for citizenship should be encouraged to become citizens.
• Naturalization strengthens American society and American democracy by uniting many peoples into one nation.
• The naturalization process should have impeccable integrity, be affordable, and take no longer than six months.

In the coming months, hundreds of community organizations and civic leaders will organize a series of events to Promote citizenship within immigrant communities, to encourage Americans to welcome the newest members of the national family, and to insist that the federal government - both Congress and the Administration - reform a process that transforms America's newcomers into new Americans, Events and activities will include: local and national advocacy efforts; naturalization ceremonies; an assay contest; studies on the contributions of immigrants, assimilation of immigrants, the impact of immigrants as voters; and more.

For more information contacts The National Immigration Forum at (202) 544-0004

Original Cosponsors:

• American Immigration Lawyers Association
• American Jewish Committee
• Coalition for Humane Immigrants Rights of Los Angeles
• Council of Jewish Federations
• D.C. Community Coalition (Washington, D.C.)
• Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society
• Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Protection
• Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition
• Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
• National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium
• National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials
• National Council of La Raza 
• National Immigration Forum
• New Jersey Immigration Policy Network
• New York Immigration Coalition
• Northern California Coalition for Immigration Rights
• Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
• One Nation (Miami, Florida)
• Texas Immigration and Refugee Coalition
• Union of Needletrades Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE)
• Washington Alliance for Immigrant and Refugee Justice