Naturalization

INS

Over the past two decades, millions of immigrants have arrived here in the United States. Merging these many immigrants into the mainstream society has become an important concern for U.S. public policy—especially in California: California has the largest noncitizen population in the nation. California has a much higher proportion of unauthorized immigrants, the vast majority of noncitizen immigrants in California are legal residents of the United States and are therefore eligible to become citizens.

Naturalization, or the granting of citizenship, is important for a number of reasons. First, it grants the right to vote, changing the political landscape. Second, citizenship determines eligibility for certain government programs. Under the welfare reform legislation passed in 1996, new immigrants (except for refugees) are no longer eligible to receive most federally funded social services until they become citizens or have 40 quarters of employment in the United States. Third, naturalization trends affect future patterns and levels of immigration, because immigration law gives priority to family reunification of American citizens.