Requests from immigrants to obtain US citizenship are being processed faster in over a decade, based on a new report.
Once they receive citizenship status, immigrants who are becoming citizens of the US are permitted to participate in voting elections without any delay to the right, VisaGuide.World reports.
A previous backlog of requests for citizenship applications resulted from the COVID-19 situation back in 2020, however, in large part, it was also due to the anti-immigration policies that were enacted under former President of the US, Donald Trump.
As part of the administration rules, immigration officials conducted lengthier reviews of applicants, which resulted in a doubling of the amount of time it took to process them.
Potential Electoral Implications of Immigration
A report published earlier this week by the New York Times discussed the potential electoral implications of immigration. The same noted that thousands of immigrants are becoming new Americans every week, and becoming able to vote in time for the presidential election this fall.
The report of the New York Times mentions an executive of an immigration assistance organization about how the naturalization of immigrants could reshape the electorate shortly before the 2024 election.
According to Xiao Wang, chief executive of immigration assistance organization Boundless, the increase in naturalization efficiency is not just about clearing backlogs but is also potentially reshaping the electorate months before a pivotal election.
The New York Times described the organization as a company that uses government data in order to analyze immigration trends and offers services to immigrants who look for professional help in navigating the application process.
According to Wang, every citizenship application could be a vote that decides seats or even the presidency.
The New York Times’ report notes that at under five months, application processing speed is on par with 2013 and 2014.
Nearly 3.3 million immigrants have become US citizens during President Biden’s time in office, with less than two months to go before the close of the 2024 fiscal year.
In 2021, Biden’s administration issued an executive order, which among others, urged for action in order to substantially reduce current naturalization processing times, aiming to further strengthen the integration of new Americans.