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

After 35 Years, ‘I’m a Citizen!’

Last month we shared the story of Raquel Vergara, 76, a Salvadorian immigrant who came to the United States 35 years ago seeking refuge from civil war. She received her green card in 1988. When Raquel realized it was up for renewal in 2016, she knew it was time to make a change. “I always […]

April 6, 2015
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ICYMI: Let’s Step Up Our Game for Citizenship

In November, President Obama unveiled his executive actions on immigration, which included a naturalization media campaign to encourage citizenship applicants. This campaign will be carried out by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in 2015 and is expected to provide information about U.S. citizenship and naturalization in the 10 states that 75 percent of […]

April 3, 2015
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Remembering César Chávez on His Birthday

César Chávez was a renowned civil rights leader who fought for fair wages and class equality, particularly within the Latino community. He dedicated his life to community organizing and defending the rights of farmhands and field workers after seeing the injustices that this community faced. Chávez championed the principles of pacifism, and his famous affirmation, “Sí […]

March 31, 2015
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Today’s Immigrant Women

The world celebrated International Women’s Day this month (March 8), and as the curtain falls on March, we honor the immigrant women in our country and the contributions they make to our communities. More than 20 million female immigrants live in the United States today. They represent 51 percent of the overall foreign-born population. As […]

March 30, 2015
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Teaching Concepts on the Naturalization Application Form

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services recently released an updated guide for teachers of citizenship preparation classes. The guide, Understanding Key Concepts Found in Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, aims to help teachers build a curriculum around not only the naturalization application form but also the naturalization interview. The guide breaks the application form into eight […]

March 20, 2015
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Citizenship Ambassador Program Amplifies Naturalization Efforts

“People feel different when they become a citizen. They have more rights and privileges in the community, and we see that they engage differently,” says Raquel Garcia Andersen, the director of partnerships and community outreach at Global Detroit. To promote the benefits of citizenship and assist candidates in navigating the path to becoming citizens, Global […]

March 16, 2015
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Citizenshipworks Partners with Voto Latino to Promote U.S. Naturalization through Technology

Voto Latino will help promote and test the next generation online platform from Citizenshipworks, which is designed to help lawful permanent residents negotiate the naturalization process to become U.S. citizens. Citizenshipworks 2.0 was developed by New Americans Campaign partners Pro Bono Net and Immigration Advocates Network, leaders in the innovative use of technology to increase […]

March 5, 2015
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Persevering for Citizenship

In the late 1970s, Raquel Vergara came to the United States on a tourist visa with her two sons, Ricardo and Alvaro. She was embarking on a new journey after a divorce from her husband of 22 years. Political turmoil had also erupted in her home country, El Salvador. This new journey was an opportunity […]

March 5, 2015
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The White House Task Force on New Americans

Policy Recommendations by the Naturalization Working Group The Naturalization Working Group is made up of national and local organizations, including national New Americans Campaign partners Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ) Los Angeles, Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), International Rescue Committee, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund, and the National […]

February 20, 2015
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From a Life of Fear to a Dream of Citizenship Fulfilled

Rigo has always had a heart for helping people around him. After immigrating from Honduras in 1996 at age 16, Rigo put his generosity and English skills into practice by helping friends and family members fill out paperwork and applications, translating documents and helping them study and practice for tests. Rigo came to the U.S. […]

February 10, 2015
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