Read stories from the new Americans our network has helped, our partners and volunteers working on the ground, and the New Americans Campaign.

The Economic Impact of High Citizenship Costs: NAC’s Op-Ed in The Hill

The New Americans Campaign (NAC) has published an op-ed in The Hill calling on U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to make naturalization more accessible to low- and middle-income lawful permanent residents. USCIS proposed a $35 increase in the application fee to become a naturalized citizen, bringing the total cost to $760. This will add […]

February 24, 2023
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NAC 2022 Year End Report

As the end of the year approaches, I am thankful for my time serving as the Director of the New Americans Campaign (NAC). It has been a privilege to see our partners overcome economic and public health barriers and continue to help people become US citizens. On the heels of a global pandemic, our NAC […]

December 23, 2022
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A Successful Collaborative Funding Model Supporting Citizenship

In 1952, President Truman signed into law “Citizenship Day” celebrating and recognizing the contributions of naturalized citizens. As we mark the 70th anniversary of Citizenship Day on Saturday, Sept. 17, we also have the opportunity to highlight the work of crucial initiatives to support citizenship efforts. Big ideas and bold ambitions benefit from partnerships, and I […]

September 16, 2022
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Karen Jimenez: “I’m so excited to vote! Honestly, it’s a privilege to be able to vote.”

I was 12 when I came to the United States by myself. My name is Karen Jimenez and I was born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. I lived with my parents until I was nine. It was an abusive house, physically and verbally, so at 9 years old I decided to get out and to […]

March 10, 2022
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Edith Mkhitarians: “You cannot imagine the feeling when you become a citizen of a free country.”

My name is Edith Mkhitarians, I was born in Tehran, Iran. Even though my birth certificate is from Iran and my nationality is Iranian, because I’m Christian and my ancestors came from Armenia many years ago, we are a minority. Everything changed in my home country back in the 1970s after the Iranian revolution. It […]

January 7, 2022
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NIIC 2021 Expanding Access to Naturalization

This past October, almost 1,000 immigrant rights advocates and policymakers gathered in Las Vegas for the National Immigrant Integration Conference (NIIC). It is an important transitional time, and it was a welcome opportunity for practitioners and immigrant community leaders to engage with one another as well as with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) senior […]

November 11, 2021
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Jose Arturo Torres: “The time will come when you are able to apply for legal permanent residency and, eventually, for citizenship. Be ready!”

I was born in a small town called Lerdo, in the state of Durango, Mexico. You could travel from end to end in about 15 minutes. I came to California in 1990 with my whole family: my wife, my two little girls, and my son. My oldest daughter was eight, my younger daughter was five, […]

November 4, 2021
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Lucia Martel-Dow is Launching the New Americans Campaign’s Next Decade

This past summer the New Americans Campaign celebrated our 10th Anniversary. We gave thanks to our funders and partners and reflected on the hard work and achievement of our amazing naturalization collaborative of more than 200 organizations across the country. We also welcomed our new director Lucia Martel-Dow. We’re excited that Lucia will lead us […]

October 26, 2021
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Manik Abdullah: “I hope U.S. citizenship changes my life.”

My name is Manik Abdullah. I am an Uber driver. My family is originally from Burma. I have never been a citizen of any country, because in my country the Burmese government doesn’t give us citizenship. I am Rohingya. When I lived in my country I had never been to school. They didn’t give us […]

August 4, 2021
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Ilse Bellido Richards: “Yes! I belong here! I am a part of my community. My voice matters.”

My name is Ilse Bellido Richards. I came to the United States from Colombia about 11 years ago when I was 14 years old. My father came first. We had a fairly good life in Colombia. He worked at the hospital doing research on tropical diseases. He would go to rural areas to investigate and […]

July 20, 2021
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