This initiative has been identified as a good immigrant integration practice by the NLC. Click here to find all about the other programs!
The second most populous city in the United States, Los Angeles has a population of 3,749,058 with forty percent composed of foreign-born residents.
In late January 2010, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas and Mayor Villaraigosa announced a new partnership to promote citizenship and strengthen immigrant integration efforts in Los Angeles, one of the most diverse cities in the country. This new partnership between local and federal officials was launched as a pilot program that will remain in effect for two years.
Immigrant residents in Los Angeles have access to:
- Free citizenship information sessions
- Naturalization workshops
- USCIS educational materials highlighting the U.S. citizenship and the naturalization process
- Targeted outreach to increase awareness of citizenship rights and responsibilities
Much of the information can be found at libraries and recreation centers, though Los Angeles has planned additional outreach with information sessions and its local public access station. The mayor’s office also will develop a campaign targeted at parents of public school students.
In addition, Mayorkas plans to unveil an initiative to address the unauthorized practice of law and fraud against illegal immigrants, and hopefully prevent immigrants from seeking guidance from fraudulent attorneys. Mayor Villaraigosa hopes that this partnership will make the city more competitive, improve the city’s economy and workforce and give all of the city’s inhabitants a voice.
USCIS will regularly evaluate the program’s effectiveness to determine whether a similar program may be replicated in other cities.
For more information about the Immigrant Integration Partnership, please contact USCIS National Customer Service Center at (800) 375-5283 or the City of Los Angeles at (213) 473-3231.
One Comment
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