Workforce Language Services

The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials found that nearly half of the newly naturalized American citizens in 2008 were Latino.  The agency used data from the Department of Homeland Security to compile their report and credits a few different factors for the increase:

In a report released in March, the agency attributed the record number of new citizens to the nearly 1.4 million citizenship applications it received in 2007. Most were from people who wanted to beat a $265 increase in the citizenship application fee, from $330 to $595.

 

But the department also credited “special efforts” by Hispanic media, community groups and a union with high immigrant membership, all of which urged eligible permanent residents to pursue citizenship.

These stats stand in contrast to the prevailing myth that immigrants, particularly those from Spanish-speaking countries, do not want to fully participate in civic life in America.

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