The United States is experiencing a surge in citizenship applications being approved, just in time for new citizens to participate in their first presidential election. Immigration authorities are processing citizenship requests at the fastest rate in a decade, with processing times cut in half this fiscal year to less than five months. In 2021, the process took about a year.
Since the 2020 election, nearly 4 million immigrants have gained U.S. citizenship, and naturalized voters now represent approximately 10% of the U.S. electorate.
A recent poll from the National Partnership for New Americans indicates that 97% of naturalized citizens in swing states and California plan to vote this fall. Among those respondents, 54% say they will vote for Vice President Kamala Harris, while 38% plan to support former President Donald Trump.
The Biden administration credits the increase in citizenship approvals to efforts aimed at reducing the backlog of nearly 1 million applications that followed the pandemic. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security told the Los Angeles Times that the timing of the spike in approvals is not politically motivated.
To expedite the processing of applications, the Biden administration has implemented new rules to prioritize naturalization applications. These changes include accepting online applications and increasing staffing for immigration services. Additionally, several Trump-era policies that restricted eligibility for fee waivers have been reversed, making it easier for low-income immigrants to apply for citizenship at no cost.
There are an estimated 9 million-12 million people in the U.S. eligible to naturalize and become citizens, most of whom reside in California, New York, Texas and Florida.
