On Sept. 29, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) awarded nearly $20 million in grants to 66 organizations in 35 states to help prepare lawful permanent residents and those with a clear pathway to lawful permanent residency for naturalization. USCIS focused this year on reaching remote, underserved, and/or isolated communities per Executive Order 14012, Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans, and corresponding Interagency Strategy on Promoting Naturalization. The grants were made possible thanks to funding provided by Congress, which doubled the funding available for fiscal year 2022.
These grants provide funding to organizations that prepare immigrants for naturalization and promote civic integration through increased knowledge of English, U.S. history, and civics. In addition to the traditional programs that fund citizenship and English acquisition classes, these expanded grants will include opportunities for creative and innovative approaches to preparing immigrants for naturalization. Grants were also made available to fund regional or statewide hubs: citizenship support networks that build capacity among their affiliates to provide direct services to immigrants.
“We are committed to educating remote, underserved, and vulnerable populations about the benefits of citizenship, and about the naturalization process,” said USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou. “Through the USCIS grants program, we ensure that community organizations can equip immigrants with the tools they need to be successful throughout their journey to become new U.S. citizens and beyond.”
For additional information on the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, visit uscis.gov/grants or email citizenshipgrantprogram@uscis.dhs.gov.