USCIS Grant: Citizenship Instruction and Naturalization Services for Immigrants

OoC is charged with promoting instruction and training on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. USCIS recognizes that naturalization is a key milestone in the civic integration of immigrants. Naturalization requirements, such as knowledge of English and U.S. history and government, encourage civic learning and build a strong foundation upon which immigrants can fully integrate into society. Through preparing for naturalization, immigrants gain tools to become successful citizens and meet their responsibilities as United States citizens.The goal of the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program is to expand the availability of high-quality citizenship preparation services for immigrants across the nation and to provide opportunities for immigrants to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to integrate into the fabric of American society.Additional activities that support this goal include identifying, implementing, and sharing best practices in citizenship preparation; increasing the use of and access to technology in citizenship preparation programs; working with local libraries and museums which serve as vital resources for immigrant communities; and incorporating strategies to foster welcoming communities as part of the citizenship and civic integration process.Since it began in 2009, the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program has awarded more than $112 million through 513 competitive grants to immigrant-serving organizations in 39 states and the District of Columbia. Now in its 14th year, the program has helped more than 290,500 LPRs prepare for citizenship. The Citizenship and Integration Grant Program supports the objectives of Executive Order 14012, Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2020-2024, by promoting integration, inclusion, and citizenship. Furthermore, the goals of the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program address the DHS mission to enforce and administer our immigration laws as stated in the 2014 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review as the program provides immigrants instruction on the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship and information and support on how to apply for naturalization within the authorized practice of immigration law.