Citizenship and Integration National Capacity Building Project

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In 2010, CLINIC received a two-year grant for national capacity building from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Office of Citizenship to launch the Citizenship & Integration National Capacity Building Project. In 2011, CLINIC received a second, two-year USCIS grant to expand the project.  The goals of this ongoing project are to expand citizenship services for Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) in underserved communities, and to build the long-term capacity of local affiliates to provide these services.

The first grant ended in September 2012.  Through this grant, CLINIC provided technical assistance and funding to four local affiliate agencies to establish new programs in English as a Second Language (ESL) / citizenship education and/or naturalization application assistance.  The four affiliates were Catholic Charities of Buffalo, NY; Catholic Charities of Cleveland, OH; Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan; and Catholic Charities of Stockton, CA.  Project outcomes are listed below.

Citizenship Project Outcomes, 2010-2012

For the second grant, CLINIC is providing technical assistance and funding to an additional four local affiliate agencies to establish new programs in ESL/citizenship education and/or naturalization application assistance.  Three of the local agencies are developing a legal immigration program that is recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).

CLINIC assists with project design and curriculum development, offers training on naturalization law and program management, and provides case consultations and intensive assistance with the BIA application process. 

Profiles of the Local Partners, 2011-2013

Catholic Charities Indianapolis 

Catholic Charities of Indianapolis is creating a new citizenship program.  The potential is great to sustain and expand services here.  In the past 10 years, metropolitan Indianapolis has seen a 212% increase in the number of persons obtaining LPR status. One in four persons obtaining LPR status was a refugee. With over 1,100 refugees resettled in FY 2010 and a projected 1,190 for FY 2011, the number of persons applying for LPR status will continue to rise in the Indianapolis community.  The immigrant community in Indianapolis is underserved.  Since low-income LPRs are unable to find affordable and accessible legal services, they either choose not to file, succumb to paying high legal fees, or fall victim to unauthorized, predatory practitioners. For this reason, there is a serious need to expand the number of authorized, affordable, and competent service providers to ensure that underserved immigrants have access to both citizenship classes and application assistance.

Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, Inc.

Catholic Charities of Los Angeles already has BIA recognition and accreditation and a well-established immigration legal services program, but plans to create a new program in citizenship education to augment its naturalization application services.  The communities where Catholic Charities will offer citizenship services were identified because they contain large populations of people who are low-income, low-literate, and limited English proficient.  This decision is supported by a 2004 United Way study, which noted that Los Angeles has the highest rate of undereducated adults of any major U.S. metropolitan area. Low literacy rates range from 55% to 84% in the areas for project services.  State budget cuts have forced the cancellation of adult education citizenship classes.  Transportation is also a barrier. With this project, Catholic Charities will bring the citizenship classes to community centers within walking or biking distance of many people who wish to be served.  Catholic Charities has the potential to serve large numbers of vulnerable LPRs.

Catholic Charities of Onondaga County

Catholic Charities of Onondaga County (Syracuse, NY) is creating a new citizenship program.  The Syracuse, NY area is home to approximately 7,000 refugees and 5,000 immigrants. Approximately 1,000 new refugees arrive in the Syracuse area each year.  Between 2006 and 2007, approximately 1,300 refugees arrived in Syracuse.  These refugees are now entering the period of eligibility for citizenship, and are actively seeing assistance with the process.  While some LPRs are well-educated and financially stable, many of the newer arrivals remain in the low-income range.  The latter have low levels of education and English language proficiency.  The elderly within these communities are particularly vulnerable.  Currently, there are no citizenship classes in Syracuse, and minimal availability of naturalization legal services. 

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Worcester

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Worcester is creating a new citizenship program that will provide services throughout the diocese, which covers the entire Central Massachusetts area.  According to the American Community Survey, Central Massachusetts has 82,534 foreign-born residents, of which 45,373 are not U.S. citizens; a rising unemployment rate; and 28,357 persons 65 or older.  There is an on-going need for citizenship education and naturalization services for LPRs.  According to USCIS statistics, in Worcester alone 3,146 persons became LPRs in 2009. However, services to meet their needs are minimal.  Catholic Charities plans to offer classes at four easily accessible locations throughout the area, coupled with naturalization application assistance.

Project Resources

NEW CLINIC Webinar, All About Fee Waivers

USCIS' Citizenship Public Education and Awareness Initiative

USCIS’ Public Education Initiative to Combat the Unauthorized Practice of Immigration Law

CLINIC press release, 2011

Office of Citizenship press release, 2011

Citizenship for Us: A Handbook on Naturalization and Citizenship, 6^th Edition - This comprehensive guide to the naturalization process provides detailed information on citizenship eligibility, requirements, and benefits. 

Strategies for Naturalizing the Most Vulnerable Applicants, 2^nd Edition – This handbook discusses English exemptions, due consideration, reasonable accommodations, disability waivers, oath waivers, fee waivers, and expedited processing.

Citizenship for Elders: Issues and Options in Test Preparation, 2^nd Edition - This handbook is based on a nationwide survey of 200 citizenship education programs and contains numerous helpful recommendations and tips from the field.

Volunteers Helping Immigrants Become U.S. Citizens: The Naturalization Group Application Workshop - This free, online course is designed to train volunteers to assist immigrants at group application workshop events.

A More Perfect Union: A National Citizenship Plan - This report sets forth the resources, activities, and partnerships that would be required to naturalize as many eligible immigrants as possible.

Toolkit for Creating a Citizenship Preparation Program - This toolkit is for programs searching for a way to serve clients' legal and language needs when pursuing U.S. citizenship.

Citizenship and Civic Participation Toolkit - This toolkit contains a number of resources on citizenship and civic participation.

Toolkit for BIA Recognition and Accreditation - This toolkit is designed to educate agencies on the need for BIA recognition and accreditation and assist them in the application process.

Toolkit for Naturalization Workshops - This toolkit is designed to help charitable immigration programs achieve a successful workshop. The forms and sample documents can be used as is or adapted by local programs for their own needs.

Toolkit for Case Management - This toolkit is intended to facilitate the process of designing and/or improving the case management system in an immigration program.

Starting a Legal Immigration Program - This guide is designed to give an overview of essentials for starting a new legal services program or sustaining an existing nonprofit legal immigration program.

Managing an Immigration Program: Steps for Creating and Increasing Legal Capacity - This manual describes best practices used by many of the country's most experienced nonprofit immigration programs and managers

Have a Question?

If you have any feedback or questions, please contact Laura Burdick at lburdick@cliniclegal.org.