MIGRA NEWS: USCIS Launches Citizenship Public Awareness Initiative

National Effort Highlights Agency’s 

Free Citizenship Preparation Tools

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released a series of promotional materials today as part of theCitizenship Public Education and Awareness Initiative. This media campaign builds on a similar effort from 2011 and is being launched under the umbrella of the Task Force on New Americans and President Obama’s executive actions on immigration.

This effort is intended to raise awareness about the rights, responsibilities and importance of U.S. citizenship and provide information on the naturalization process and USCIS educational resources. The promotional campaign guides lawful permanent residents towards the USCIS Citizenship Resource Center for official, accurate and reliable information on citizenship and naturalization topics.

“USCIS is proud to expand its efforts to assist those eligible for citizenship – the highest privilege of our nation's immigration system – to take the necessary steps to complete their journey,” said USCIS Director León Rodríguez. “Through this initiative, USCIS continues to emphasize the importance of citizenship to both individuals and the nation while providing free preparation tools for aspiring citizens.”

According to the most recent analysis by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Immigration Statistics, an estimated 8.8 million lawful permanent residents are eligible to apply for citizenship, and the median time spent as a lawful permanent resident before becoming a United States citizen is seven years. Green card holders who meet all eligibility requirements may apply for citizenship after five years, or three years if they are married to a U.S. citizen. (See uscis.gov/us-citizenship/citizenship-through-naturalization .)

The media campaign announced today includes print advertisements in English, Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese; digital advertisements in English, Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese; radio public service announcements in Spanish and Chinese; and video public service announcements in English and Spanish. Online digital advertisements will run from July 1-Aug. 15. A second phase will begin in September, and will include additional print and digital media spots.

 This campaign aims to provide those seeking citizenship with information on the naturalization process and USCIS educational resources. It is part of a larger effort to demystify the process and provide lawful permanent residents with information to protect themselves against the unauthorized practice of immigration law.

 Immigrant-serving organizations can support the initiative by:

• Sharing digital and print campaign materials.
• Placing a USCIS banner or widget on the organization's website.
• Registering for a free copy of the Civics and Citizenship Toolkit and using the contents in citizenship or English language programs.
• Placing the media campaign’s print advertisement posters in office waiting areas, classrooms, community centers and other visible areas.
• Requesting to download and use the available PSAs, free of charge, over the one-year life of the campaign.
• Adding the organization’s English language and/or citizenship education programs to America’s Literacy Directory at www.literacydirectory.org.  

See the Video PSAs Web page to view the video public service announcements. Digital, print, radio and video messages can be downloaded free of charge. Immigrant-serving organizations and members of the media interested in donating media space should send an email to norine.w.han@uscis.dhs.gov.