“Resident immigrants often do not know where to seek assistance to become citizens.  This has resulted in California having one of the lowest naturalization rates in the country – leaving behind the 2.7 million resident immigrants currently eligible for naturalization,” said De La Torre.  “There also needs to be a viable alternative to unscrupulous citizenship vendors in poorer immigrant communities.”

Assembly Bill 2060 would address this urgent need by providing comprehensive services coordinated through a proven collaborative community-based model.  Through coordination and consistency of services, the initiative would ensure that eligible immigrants are able to engage in a process toward citizenship.

The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services allocated $3 million for the Naturalization Services Program in the 2006-2007 budget.  The program has been funded in seven out of the last eight years under both Democratic and Republican governors without a clear legislative mandate. 

“Our best investments are made in people,” said De La Torre.  “The New Californians Act will promote new American citizens with a strong understanding of our country’s institutions, civic networks and cultural life.”

AB 2060 is sponsored by the California Immigrant Welfare Collaborative (Asian Pacific American Legal Center; Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles; National Immigration Law Center; and Services and Immigrant Rights and Education Network), Catholic Charities of California and the California Association of Jewish Family Services.