White House Task Force on 

New Americans

One-Year Progress Report

December 2015
December 15, 2015

Dear Mr. President:

One year ago, you established the White House Task Force on New Americans, an interagency 

effort to develop a coordinated federal strategy to better integrate new Americans into 

communities and support state and local efforts to do the same. As you noted when creating this 

initiative, “By focusing on the civic, economic, and linguistic integration of new Americans, we 

can help immigrants and refugees in the United States contribute fully to our economy and their 

communities.” Today, we are pleased to share this one-year status report on the Task Force’s 

efforts.

In April, we submitted Strengthening Communities by Welcoming All Residents: A Federal 

Strategic Action Plan on Immigrant and Refugee Integration. That report outlined 16 core goals 

and 48 recommendations to enhance the civic, economic, and linguistic integration of new 

Americans. We gathered promising ideas from 16 executive departments, agencies, and White 

House offices, and from state and local governments, business leaders, and community, faith, 

and philanthropic organizations.

Among its accomplishments to date, the Task Force has:

• Spearheaded the Building Welcoming Communities Campaign to encourage local 

immigrant and refugee integration efforts, and organized a White House Building 

Welcoming Communities convening for dozens of participating cities and counties;

• Launched two initiatives: the “Stand Stronger” Citizenship Awareness campaign with 

a video message from you and in partnership with local communities, as well as a 

complementary campaign at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to promote 

awareness of the rights, responsibilities, and importance of United States citizenship;

• Committed 150 Welcoming Communities AmeriCorps members to nearly 100 

communities through partnerships with the YMCA, Catholic Charities, and eight 

refugee resettlement organizations to assist local communities with integration 

efforts;

• Launched the Small Business Administration’s “Made It In America” website to 

promote immigrant entrepreneurship and piloted new “SBA 101” classes for 

immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs;

• Expanded access to linguistic integration and education by creating and disseminating 

best practices and hosting webinars, regional convenings, and other activities to 

connect new Americans with education systems; and

• Supported five communities seeking to build networks to strengthen integration 

through adult education providers.
Immigrants and refugees have always been a source of our Nation’s strength. By extending a 

welcoming hand, the United States has continually tapped new sources of economic and cultural 

vitality. The integration plan you tasked us with developing is a more focused, deliberate 

approach to the federal government’s efforts to integrate new Americans. This approach 

advances your larger goals of promoting accountability in our immigration system and better 

safeguarding our national security while maintaining our heritage as a nation that welcomes 

immigrants and refugees from countries around the globe. We can and must continue to reunite 

families; welcome students, workers, and entrepreneurs who seek to contribute to our economy; 

and be a beacon of hope for vulnerable refugees.

In the months ahead, the Task Force will continue to generate momentum on immigrant and 

refugee integration through a whole-of-society approach. This initiative has already helped drive 

greater reflection and action among government officials, business executives, teachers, 

philanthropists, and faith and nonprofit leaders who are effectively collaborating to strengthen 

local communities as places of welcome for immigrants and refugees.

As you requested, we will review and update our plan periodically, and present to you any 

updated recommendations or findings. On behalf of the Task Force and as the daughter and son 

of immigrants and refugees, we thank you for the continued opportunity to engage on this issue 

of great significance to our country’s future. As you noted in your memorandum, “Our success 

as a nation of immigrants is rooted in our ongoing commitment to welcoming and integrating 

newcomers into the fabric of our country.”

Cecilia Muñoz, Director León Rodríguez, Director

White House Domestic Policy Council U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
THE TASK FORCE ON NEW AMERICANS MEMBERS

Cecilia Muñoz, Co-Chair

Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council

León Rodríguez, Co-Chair

Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

The Corporation for National and Community Service

The Department of Agriculture

The Department of Commerce

The Department of Education

The Department of Health and Human Services

The Department of Homeland Security

The Department of Housing and Urban Development

The Department of Justice

The Department of Labor

The Department of State

The Department of Transportation

The Small Business Administration

The Office of Management and Budget

The White House Domestic Policy Council

The White House Office for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

The White House National Economic Council

The White House National Security Council
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

I. Executive Summary............................................................................1

II. Building Welcoming Communities.....................................................................6

III. Strengthening Existing Pathways to Naturalization and 

Promoting Civic Engagement......................................................................................16

IV. Supporting Skill Development, Fostering Entrepreneurship and Small Business 

Growth, and Protecting New American Workers..................................................23

V. Expanding Opportunities for Linguistic Integration and Education.....................29

VI. Conclusion.............................................................................................................35
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I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The United States has a long and proud history as a nation of immigrants. We are stronger as a 

nation when we welcome immigrants and refugees into our communities and harness their 

talents, energy, and entrepreneurial spirit. Immigrants and refugees contribute to our country’s 

social and cultural fabric, and are critical to our country’s continued prosperity.1

According to the most recent estimates, there are approximately 42 million foreign-born 

residents living in the United States.2 These include the more than three million refugees who 

have resettled here since 1975 from countries that span the globe.3 Over the next 20 years, 

immigrants and their children will account for 85 percent of the net growth in the U.S. labor 

force.4 The Obama Administration recognizes that our success as a nation of immigrants is 

rooted in our historic ability to integrate newcomers into American society. With the growing 

number of newcomers, it is imperative that we continue to uphold our finest traditions of 

welcoming and integrating immigrants and refugees. 

The federal government is guided by the core principle that being American is not about what we 

look like or where we come from. Rather, what makes us Americans is our shared commitment 

to an ideal — that all of us are created equal, and all of us have the opportunity to make of our 

lives what we will. In the spirit of this principle, President Obama established the White House 

Task Force for New Americans (“Task Force”) on November 21, 2014 to further strengthen the 

federal government’s integration efforts and make them more strategic and deliberate. The Task 

Force strives to bring immigrants, refugees, and receiving communities together to create 

welcoming communities and to ensure that all community members have the tools and 

opportunities to succeed and fully contribute to our nation.

On April 14, 2015, the Task Force submitted a Strategic Action Plan to the President. The 

Strategic Action Plan included four areas of focus: 1) Building welcoming communities; 2) 

Strengthening existing pathways to naturalization and promoting civic engagement; 3) 

Supporting skill development, fostering entrepreneurship and small business growth, and 

protecting new American workers; and 4) Expanding opportunities for linguistic integration and 

education. The Task Force charted key goals to make progress in these areas of focus and 

recommended specific actions for federal departments and agencies. This report provides an 

update on the Task Force’s progress in executing these recommended actions. Additionally, the 

report outlines the Task Force’s plans for 2016.

BUILDING WELCOMING COMMUNITIES 

Communities play a vital role in welcoming immigrants and refugees by celebrating and valuing 

their diverse assets, connecting new residents to long-time residents, and building support 

networks to encourage strong and cohesive communities. Welcoming communities recognize 

that immigrant and refugee integration is a two-way process with shared opportunities and 

responsibilities, and that maintaining America’s competitive global advantage requires that 

communities fully embrace their strongest resource: their people.
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To strengthen welcoming efforts, the Task Force launched the Building Welcoming 

Communities Campaign (BWCC), in partnership with Welcoming America, a national nonprofit 

organization. The BWCC focuses on three critical integration pillars: civic integration, economic

integration, and linguistic integration. Through this campaign, the President is calling on

communities to engage in local immigrant and refugee integration efforts to build inclusive, 

welcoming communities. Currently, there are 48 BWCC member localities across the Nation. 

These communities are encouraging immigrants and refugees to fully participate in civic life and 

seeking to harness the full potential of all residents. 

As part of its commitment to the BWCC, the Corporation for National and Community Service

(CNCS) is supporting a new AmeriCorps VISTA project with Catholic Charities USA and the 

YMCA. AmeriCorps VISTA has also developed guidance to encourage CNCS State offices to 

identify additional opportunities to support integration efforts of local governments and nonprofit 

organizations. To further bolster the Task Force’s commitment to welcome and resettle refugees, 

CNCS has also partnered with the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of 

Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to use AmeriCorps to assist local communities with integrating

refugee populations by placing AmeriCorps members in eight refugee resettlement agencies. 

STRENGTHENING EXISTING PATHWAYS TO NATURALIZATION AND PROMOTING CIVIC 

ENGAGEMENT

As a Nation rooted in the fundamental value that all people are created equal, we recognize that 

we are stronger and more unified when we share in the rights and responsibilities upon which our 

country was founded. The naturalization process and test are designed to ensure that new citizens 

have the foundation to participate in American democracy and our civic institutions. 

Naturalization requirements, such as knowledge of basic English and U.S. history and civics, 

encourage civic learning and build a strong foundation upon which new citizens can exercise 

their rights and responsibilities. This knowledge of English and civics, combined with a greater 

sense of belonging and equality that citizenship confers, empower many naturalized citizens to 

become more civically engaged. Additionally, research has shown that citizenship benefits the 

U.S. economy as a whole, the communities in which immigrants live, and the businesses in 

which they work and which they establish.5

In recognition of the importance of citizenship to immigrants and the Nation, in 2015, President

Obama launched the “Stand Stronger” Citizenship Awareness Campaign on September 17

(Constitution Day and Citizenship Day). This effort aims to break down the barriers for 

permanent residents who are eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship and to allow people of all 

backgrounds, whether native- or foreign-born, to have an equal stake in the future of our Nation.

The “Stand Stronger” Campaign is a project of the nonprofit Civic Nation, in collaboration with

the White House and the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services (USCIS). Launched in partnership with community partners and civic 

leaders across the country, the “Stand Stronger” Campaign seeks to encourage those eligible to 

naturalize to take this next critical step in their American journey and commit to citizenship.

Consistent with the recommendations of the Task Force's Strategic Action Plan, USCIS has also 

developed a series of initiatives to improve customer service, highlight the importance of 

citizenship, and support aspiring citizens. These initiatives included new online citizenship 
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preparation resources, the ability to pay the naturalization fee with a credit card, a citizenship 

public education and awareness campaign, and new and ongoing outreach and engagement with 

local governments.

SUPPORTING SKILL DEVELOPMENT, FOSTERING ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SMALL BUSINESS 

GROWTH, AND PROTECTING NEW AMERICAN WORKERS

Immigrants and refugees play an important role in the U.S. economy. While the foreign-born 

make up 13 percent of the overall U.S. population, foreign-born workers comprise 17 percent of 

the U.S. labor force.

6 Immigrants and refugees are more likely than native-born individuals to 

start businesses.7 For example, a study by the Partnership for a New American Economy found 

that more than 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or the children 

of immigrants.8 Another study found that over half of new tech startups in Silicon Valley had at 

least one immigrant founder.9 Like native-born Americans, immigrants aspire to obtain 

economic security for themselves and their families. 

Through the efforts of several Task Force members, the Obama Administration is promoting the 

economic integration of immigrants and refugees. For example, the Small Business 

Administration (SBA) launched its New Americans Initiative which focuses on helping new 

Americans succeed in the entrepreneurial and small-business landscape. As part of this effort, 

SBA piloted “Small Business Training Courses for New Americans” and partnered with local 

organizations in targeted cities with high concentrations of immigrants and refugees to host more 

than 80 “SBA 101” classes. SBA also launched the “Made It In America” website to promote 

new American success stories and motivate individuals to take advantage of SBA tools and 

resources. SBA also released the Business Smart Toolkit, a 3-module ready-to-use workshop 

toolkit that equips community organizations to help new Americans understand the steps to 

starting a business that is credit ready. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), with 

assistance from the Department of Education (ED), published the “Career Pathways Toolkit: A 

Guide for System Development” to help workers, including new American workers, acquire 

marketable skills and industry-recognized credentials by encouraging greater collaboration 

across adult education, post-secondary education, health and human service organizations, and 

other workforce partners.

On July 22, 2014, President Obama signed into law the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 

Act (WIOA), bipartisan legislation reforming the public workforce system. WIOA emphasizes 

job-driven approaches to workforce development with a focus on career pathway models for a 

range of job seekers and workers, prioritizing individuals with barriers to employment, including 

new Americans. The Administration has proposed regulations to implement this important law 

and expects to finalize these rules soon. WIOA supports the economic integration of new 

Americans by providing funding for State programs for adult English as a Second Language 

(ESL) and civics classes while obtaining higher job qualifications and securing employment.10

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Special Counsel for ImmigrationRelated Unfair Employment Practices (OSC) continues to enforce a federal law that protects 

U.S. citizens and other work-authorized individuals—including immigrants, refugees and 

asylees—from employment discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin. Last 
4

fiscal year, OSC obtained more than $1.5 million from unlawful employers in the form of civil 

penalties and back pay for workers.

EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LINGUISTIC INTEGRATION AND EDUCATION

English-language acquisition is vitally important for new Americans to integrate successfully 

into their communities. Though some new Americans are fluent in English when they arrive to

the United States, many are not. Understanding and communicating in English has a significant 

impact on the ability of an immigrant or refugee to secure a job consistent with his or her

qualifications or work experience, to advance in a career, and to become civically active in the 

community. Therefore, one of the most effective ways to help non-English-speaking immigrants 

and refugees integrate into American society is to support their acquisition of English, while also 

valuing and recognizing the importance of maintaining native-language proficiency to preserve 

culture and intergenerational communication and support our global competitiveness.

The Administration strives to ensure that English learners (ELs) in the United States have access 

to high-quality language instruction programs so they can ultimately advance their educational 

and career goals. To further this, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) released English 

Learner civil rights guidance in January 2015 designed to help State and local education agencies 

in meeting their legal obligations to ELs. A companion English Learner Tool Kit, released by ED 

in September 2015, serves as an additional resource for providing ELs with the support needed to 

attain English-language proficiency while meeting college- and career-readiness standards. In 

addition, DOJ continued to enforce civil rights laws to make sure immigrant students can enroll 

in school and that ELs receive the support and instruction they need to learn English and 

participate equally in educational programs.

ED also continued to support five nonprofit networks to develop and refine ways to more 

successfully integrate immigrants and refugees through its Networks for Integrating New 

Americans project. These communities are establishing multi-sector partnerships to further 

integration efforts with adult education service providers serving in a critical convening role. In 

order to reach educators and community leaders serving new Americans, ED has sponsored a 

series of seven webinars focused on the educational and linguistic integration of immigrants and 

refugees.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT YEAR

As we move forward next year, the Task Force will continue to implement recommended actions 

and develop new initiatives to meet the core goals of our Strategic Action Plan. Key efforts in 

2016 will include:

• Promoting Welcoming Communities: The Task Force will continue to support BWCC 

localities and encourage new cities and counties to join the BWCC. To more directly 

engage with communities, the Task Force plans to host regional Immigrant Integration 

convenings throughout the country to bring together local multi-sector networks and 

strengthen regional federal interagency collaboration and local community partnerships.

CNCS will continue to build local capacity through the AmeriCorps VISTA Program and 
5

by supporting their national partners, the YMCA and Catholic Charities, and refugee 

resettlement organizations, as these partners place AmeriCorps VISTA members in 

communities to assist in building local capacity to support integration efforts. 

• Expanding Access to Information about the Naturalization Process: The Task Force 

will expand the “Stand Stronger” Citizenship Awareness Campaign by focusing on 

regions with the largest populations of lawful permanent residents eligible to apply for 

naturalization. The next phase of the campaign will include new public service 

announcements to raise awareness and materials designed to provide information on the 

naturalization process and citizenship rights and responsibilities. Ongoing efforts include 

partnerships with USCIS and other federal entities, Civic Nation, local governments, 

philanthropic and business communities, and local and national organizations. To build 

additional capacity for citizenship preparation services at the local level, USCIS is 

exploring ways that its grant funding can further expand citizenship preparation 

programs, particularly those offered by small, community-based organizations. USCIS is 

also working to offer naturalization applicants the ability to use myUSCIS to e-file the 

Form N-400, Application for Naturalization and Form N-600, Application for Certificate 

of Citizenship. 

• Implementing the New Workforce Law: Task Force members will continue efforts to 

implement WIOA. DOL and ED will finalize regulations and anticipate conducting

robust outreach. This includes providing additional guidance to educate communities 

about tools available under the new law and to strengthen connections between the 

workforce system and immigrant- and refugee-serving organizations. Additionally, the 

Task Force plans to host a Credentialing Academy in early 2016. This convening will 

provide agencies, national experts, philanthropic leaders, and local communities with an 

opportunity to share current best practices and to develop tools and resources to address 

credentialing and licensing issues that skilled immigrant and refugee professionals

confront when seeking to enter the workforce.

• Expanding Opportunities for Linguistic Integration and Education: In 2016, the 

White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, housed within ED, will 

publish a brief focused on San Antonio’s early learning efforts with an emphasis on 

cross-sector collaboration. This information will inform later grantees and emerging 

communities on how to work together, leverage resources, including State and federal 

grants, to provide early learning for all students, including Hispanics and ELs, many of 

which are immigrants or the children of immigrants.
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II. BUILDING WELCOMING COMMUNITIES 

The United States attracts individuals from across the globe who believe in, and strive for, the 

opportunity to pursue the American Dream. This is what makes our country great. Today, a 

growing number of communities are recognizing the potential benefits of pursuing a welcoming 

approach. Recognizing that integration is a two-way process that occurs primarily at the local 

level, the Task Force outlined three specific and targeted goals in our Strategic Action Plan to 

support initiatives that bring together new Americans and receiving communities: (1) Build 

community capacity to welcome and engage immigrants and refugees; (2) Increase opportunities 

for communities to utilize federal funding streams to develop and implement local integration 

plans; and (3) Use the convening power of the Federal Government to celebrate new Americans, 

highlight State and local integration strategies, and encourage welcoming communities’ 

initiatives.

Since the Task Force’s Strategic Action Plan was released, many communities have responded 

enthusiastically to the recommendations and are implementing them on their own. Others – big

cities and small towns alike – have formally committed to making their communities more 

welcoming by joining the Building Welcoming Communities Campaign (BWCC).

BUILDING WELCOMING COMMUNITIES CAMPAIGN 

Through the BWCC, President Obama is calling on communities to commit, collaborate, and act 

on a set of principles that focus on creating positive environments for all. The BWCC is an 

opportunity to demonstrate authentic commitment to immigrant integration. Thus far, 48 cities 

and counties have made a commitment to implement the principles of the BWCC. 

Communities can participate in the Campaign by committing to one of three tiers of 

involvement: 

• Tier 1 is for new welcoming communities commit to connecting immigrants and refugees 

with their local communities to develop policies, programs, or initiatives that build 

welcoming communities and provide all residents with the knowledge and tools to thrive and 

fully participate in their communities; 

• Tier 2 is for welcoming communities interested in taking the next step by establishing a 

multi-sector collaborative to create a vision and strategy and a comprehensive plan to expand 

opportunities for new Americans and all residents; or

• Tier 3 is targeted at welcoming communities who seek to serve as national models by 

demonstrating exceptional progress along the roadmap and in one or more of three key action 

areas. These are include: encouraging immigrants and refugees to participate fully in civic 

life, harnessing the full potential of all residents, and supporting English-language learning.
7

The Task Force is committed to providing

participating BWCC cities and counties with 

support and technical assistance. In August, 

the Task Force launched the BWCC webinar 

series. These webinars offer the opportunity

for cities and counties to hear from federal 

agency experts on a variety of federal 

programs, policies, and initiatives and learn 

about best practices from other cities and 

counties as well as community leaders and 

national experts.

On October 7, 2015, the Task Force hosted

the White House Building Welcoming 

Communities Convening in Washington, 

DC. This Convening brought together more 

than 175 participants, including Task Force 

members, national experts, and 

representatives from BWCC cities and 

counties. The event featured two panels

where participants learned about best 

practices from welcoming communities and 

emerging efforts across the country. A key 

highlight of the Convening was agency 

breakout sessions where BWCC localities

heard directly from Task Force agencies 

about opportunities to receive technical

assistance and coordinate with agencies at 

the local level. The Convening provided a 

meaningful opportunity for cities and 

counties to learn from each other, for federal 

agencies to offer information about technical 

assistance opportunities, and for national 

experts to share insights on emerging best 

practices.

In an effort to provide guidance to those 

communities interested in creating more 

welcoming, inclusive environments, the Task Force has also released new tools and guidance.

The Task Force created a Roadmap to Success, which provides a menu of options for committed 

localities to transform the BWCC principles into action. Using this Roadmap, communities can

choose from a menu of specific ideas for action that are built around the principles of strategic 

planning and infrastructure development; equitable access and trust-building; awareness of 

pathways to citizenship and civic engagement; skill development, entrepreneurship, and worker 

protections; and linguistic education and integration. The Roadmap offers concrete ideas so that 

localities can tailor welcoming efforts to meet unique community needs. With assistance from 

Participating Cities and Counties

Akron, OH Crete, NE New Orleans, LA

Allegheny 

County, PA

Dayton, OH New York, NY

Anchorage, AK Decatur, GA Oakley, CA

Atlanta, GA Denver, CO Philadelphia, PA

Austin, TX Detroit, MI Pittsburgh, PA

Baltimore, MD Grand Forks, 

ND

Salt Lake City, 

UT

Beaverton, OR High Point, 

NC

Salt Lake 

County, UT

Boise, ID Houston, TX San Jose, CA

Boston, MA Jersey City, 

NJ

Santa Fe, NM

Buffalo, NY Lincoln, NE Schuyler, NE

Charlotte, NC Los Angeles, 

CA

Seattle, WA

Chicago, IL Louisville, 

KY

St. Louis, MO

City & County 

San Francisco, 

CA

Macomb 

County, MI

St. Louis County, 

MO

City of Dodge 

City, KS

Montgomery 

County, MD

Sterling Heights, 

MI

Clinton 

Township, MI

Nashville, 

TN

Toledo-Lucas 

County, OH

Columbus, OH Newark, NJ York, PA
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Welcoming Pittsburgh Plan: In May 2014, Mayor 

Bill Peduto, launched the Welcoming Pittsburgh

initiative, convening a diverse and distinguished 40-

person Advisory Council from a pool of more than 

100 applicants, to collaborate in developing priorities 

and recommendations. The process included seven 

Advisory Council planning sessions and a broad 

public-outreach initiative that engaged more than 

3,000 people to ensure a community-driven planning 

process. The Welcoming Pittsburgh Plan was

released in June 2015. It identifies community-led 

recommendations and includes a broad set of 

recommendations that are prioritized as Short term (6 

months to 1 year), Mid-term (1 to 2 years), Long term 

(3 to 5 years), and Ongoing, and are grouped into 

three categories: Welcome, Neighbor!; Bridge to the 

City; and Prospering Together.

ORR, Welcoming America also published 

a Community Planning Process Guide. This

guide is designed to be a practical, handson approach for local communities to 

welcome new talent and recognize the 

importance of an inclusive and dynamic 

approach. The community of Boise, Idaho 

is presented as a model community that 

effectively fosters a community climate in 

which all immigrants and refugees are 

welcomed and encouraged to contribute to 

their fullest potential.

As we head into the coming year, the Task 

Force looks forward to offering additional 

technical assistance opportunities to 

BWCC cities and counties in eight core 

areas identified as priorities by current BWCC cities and counties. The Task Force will work 

with federal agencies as well as national nonprofit organizations to provide this technical 

assistance. The Task Force also looks forward to highlighting best practices among local 

communities, particularly those participating in the BWCC, at regional convenings and other 

forums so that localities can learn from each other’s experiences, garner support, and collaborate 

to build a more welcoming nation. 

WELCOMING REFUGEES

In the wake of the Syrian refugee crisis, Americans around the country have shown compassion 

and a willingness to “welcome the stranger,” building on our country’s rich, long history of 

welcoming those seeking refuge from persecution. The United States is rightfully proud of its 

history of welcoming immigrants, which includes a longstanding commitment to resettling

refugees. The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program reflects not only our nation’s laws, but also our 

American values and aspirations of compassion, generosity, and leadership. In September 2015,

President Obama announced, after consultation with Congress, that the United States will 

increase the annual number of refugees it accepts over the next 2 years. The President also 

committed to increasing the number of Syrian refugees admitted to the United States to at least 

10,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2016, up from fewer than 2,000 in FY 2014.

Even as the United States accepts more refugees, including Syrians, we do so only after they 

successfully pass the most rigorous screening and security vetting of any category of immigrants 

seeking to enter this country. Following the attacks in Paris and other recent acts of terrorism, the 

President has made clear that we cannot turn our backs on vulnerable refugees who all too often 

have themselves been the victims of terrorism, and that we can and must continue to welcome 

these individuals while also ensuring the safety and security of our country.

Over the last year, the Task Force has promoted efforts to recognize the invaluable contributions 

of refugees and those who honor our richest traditions by welcoming them. On World Refugee 
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City of Seattle’s Refugee Women’s Institute: The Seattle 

Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs launched the 

Refugee Women’s Institute (RWI) to build understanding 

and trust between refugee communities and the Seattle 

Police Department (SPD). The institute aims to build a 

grassroots network of refugee women leaders while 

increasing the cultural competency of the female officers 

who participate by pairing refugee women with SPD 

mentors over 8 weeks. Following the program, 

participants were surveyed. SPD employees reported that 

they now know more about refugees and the available 

resources for working with refugees in the future. Data 

indicated that refugee participants finished RWI feeling 

more comfortable calling 911, calling the police, paying 

bills, searching for housing and accessing other City 

services. OIRA is now making plans to expand the 

program to reach other refugee populations. 

Day, President Obama encouraged the 

American people “to join our partners in 

the international community in recognizing 

the dignity, value, and potential of every 

one of these lives.” The White House 

honored individuals—including former 

refugees—who are making a difference in 

the lives of refugees, both domestically and 

internationally, at a White House Champion 

of Change World Refugee Day event. Other 

senior Administration officials joined in the 

efforts of honoring World Refugee Day and 

encouraging the welcoming of new 

Americans such as refugees. In November, 

the Administration encouraged Americans 

to join in celebrating Welcome Weekend,

an interfaith coalition to bring 

congregations and communities together to

help refugees who have come to the United States. White House and Administration officials 

also attended a Refugees’ First Thanksgiving Dinner, organized by the Ethiopian Community 

Development Corporation to offer refugee families an opportunity to celebrate this important 

American tradition. In addition, the White House has launched AidRefugees.gov to provide the

American public with information on the Syrian refugee crisis, on how our international 

humanitarian assistance is being put to good use, and on opportunities to volunteer at local 

refugee-serving organizations.

In the coming months, the Administration will continue to focus on ensuring that those 

individuals who make it through the robust, multi-layered screening process that is an integral 

part of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program have the tools to succeed when resettling in their 

new communities. To that end, ORR at HHS is implementing several new programs and policies 

to strengthen local capacity to assist in the integration process. Examples of ORR initiatives

include the following: 

• ORR has recently expanded its regional presence by creating ORR Regional 

Representatives. These individuals will provide expertise, direction, and oversight in 

implementing services and policies that cut across programs while increasing 

consultation and engagement with State and local governments, including State Refugee 

and Health Coordinators, refugee-serving agencies, and other key officials to promote

integrated efforts in the best interest of refugees.

• ORR is seeking to strengthen ORR-funded refugee service providers’ practices in data 

collection, management, and analysis while also helping to drive evidenced-based 

programming through a new grant to the International Rescue Committee. 
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About the Refugee Resettlement Process

The U.S. refugee resettlement process is a multi-faceted process that involves different federal agencies 

and rigorous security and vetting background checks. It can take between 18 to 24 months. Moreover, 

refugees undergo more rigorous screening than anyone else we allow into the United States.

The Departments of Homeland Security (DHS), State (DOS), and Health and Human Services (HHS) 

work together to uphold America’s humanitarian response to refugees through the U.S. Refugee 

Admissions Program (USRAP).

• The refugee admissions process begins overseas. Once the United Nations and U.S. embassies refer 

refugee cases for resettlement consideration, officers from DHS’s USCIS conduct individual 

interviews and clearances and make final refugee determinations.

• The State Department’s Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration coordinates admissions and 

allocations to specific cities and resettlement agencies, in conjunction with nine national resettlement 

agencies that oversee a network of some 305 affiliates in 47 States plus the District of Columbia 

through the Reception and Placement Program. When refugees arrive at their destination in the 

United States, these local affiliates greet them at the airport, help them with housing, and facilitate 

access to other resources.

• From the date of arrival, ORR at HHS provides short-term financial and medical assistance to new 

arrivals, as well as case management services, English language classes, and job readiness and 

employment services—all designed to facilitate refugees’ successful transition in the United States, 

and help them to attain self-sufficiency.
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• ORR is seeking to build capacity among refugee resettlement organizations to increase 

naturalization and citizenship preparation services to refugees. With ORR’s support, the 

Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc., is creating a citizenship navigator program to 

support and encourage refugee-serving organizations to offer low-cost legal services, and 

use technology to provide easily accessible citizenship resources and information to 

refugee communities.

• ORR will continue to support Higher, a project of Lutheran Immigrant and Refugee 

Service to support career entry and advancement for resettled refugees and other new 

Americans. In the coming year, Higher will focus on strengthening access to mainstream 

workforce resources for out-of-school youth and highly skilled refugees, and on 

institutionalizing employment expertise with new eLearning resources for job-readiness 

preparation and expanded adoption of new approaches to job development.

• ORR will also continue to partner with Welcoming America to provide refugee 

resettlement organizations with the tools and support needed to enhance and sustain their 

community-engagement and public-awareness work in local communities, deepen their 

practices and local collaborations, and develop broader support for refugees, which is 

essential to refugees’ longer-term civic, linguistic, and economic integration. Welcoming 

America is focused on supporting activities for the following areas: building support for 

Syrian refugees, strengthening connections with LGBT organizations and refugees in 

their communities, supporting the growing immigrant economic development field that 

refugee-serving organizations can to tap into, and building bridges between refugee 

communities across race, religion, and ethnicity. 

• ORR will work with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to expand their Bridging 

Refugee Youth and Children's Services (BRYCS) program. BRYCS, a popular website 

and clearinghouse that many in the field have come to rely on for expertise and 

information exchange, is the nation's largest online collection of resources related to 

refugee and immigrant children and families. Some of the expansion efforts include 

improving the BRYCS Refugee Portal for ease of use, translating the popular illustrated 

parenting handbooks, and converting these resources into interactive online learning 

modules recorded by native speakers in refugee languages. BRYCS will also bring 

together experts in the field of refugee resettlement and social work by developing a 

Refugee Technical Assistance Bureau to provide both remote and on-site consultations, 

monthly blogging and peer-to-peer exchanges, and online learning modules on critical 

topics. 

Of course, ORR will continue to administer core refugee resettlement programs, including its 

short-term financial and medical assistance programs and additional programs, to serve all 

eligible populations beyond the first eight months after arrival, including micro-enterprise 

development, ethnic community self-help, agricultural partnerships, and services for survivors of 

torture. Refugee resettlement is intended to occur in close cooperation and consultation with 

federal, State, and local entities. This is why key partners across sectors and shared services 

agencies are crucial for ensuring successful U.S. resettlement and long-term integration. Serving 
12

City of Denver’s Mini-Grants Program: The Denver 

Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA) hosted 

its 1st Annual Mini-Grant competition for immigrant 

integration projects in 2015. The mini-grants program was 

created to spur innovative and locally relevant approaches 

to building welcoming communities. Denver OIRA 

received over twenty-five applications from area 

nonprofits, faith based organizations, community groups, 

neighborhood organizations, and residents. In April 2015,

six mini-grants were awarded to community projects 

developed by local residents and community-based 

organizations. These projects aim to bridge immigrant, 

refugee, and receiving community members in fun, 

creative and impactful ways. 

refugees, among other new Americans, requires a government- and community-wide 

engagement across the Nation, to ensure resettled individuals have timely access to health care, 

social, and other social services that are essential to promoting their health, socioeconomic wellbeing, and self-sufficiency.

ENSURING ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND SERVICES IN-LANGUAGE

Many new Americans are eager to improve their English skills. Still, it can be challenging to 

learn the language needed to navigate 

through complex matters—such as 

obtaining health or government services, 

seeking the protection of law 

enforcement, or enforcing their rights in 

court. Whether in an emergency or in the 

routine course of business, the success of 

government efforts to communicate with 

the public depends on the information 

being understandable. It is in the public 

interest that individuals have equal 

access to the services they need and be

able to understand the information in a

language in which they are proficient.

Providing accessible information and services to all individuals has long been a priority of the 

Obama Administration and others before it. This year marked the 15th anniversary of President 

Clinton’s Executive Order 13166, “Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited 

English Proficiency.” The order seeks to ensure that federal agencies continually evaluate their 

services, identify gaps, and develop processes and standards to enhance meaningful access for

limited English proficient (LEP) individuals. Doing so helps ensure that federally conducted and 

assisted activities do not discriminate on the basis of national origin in violation of Title VI of 

the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its implementing regulations.

Over the last 15 years, federal agencies have made great progress to prioritize and improve inlanguage standards across government. Through DOJ’s Interagency Working Group on Limited 

English Proficiency, these agencies work together to improve federal responses through best 

practices, use enhanced data to drive decision-making and services, and leverage technology to 

provide information to local communities. 

For example:

• DOJ’s Civil Rights Division recently created new interactive and downloadable maps, using 

U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey data, which identify the concentration of 

LEP populations at the national, State, judicial district, and county level. These maps provide 

data on the number of LEP persons and the languages they speak, allowing agencies to 

identify and respond to language needs and improve targeted outreach efforts. 
13

Ohio Communities Working Together: The Ohio 

communities of Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, ToledoLucas County, Cleveland, and Akron have formed the 

Ohio Welcoming Initiatives network to share best 

practices on what their respective regions are doing to 

attract and welcome immigrants. This effort was launched 

with help from economic-development nonprofit Global 

Cleveland and support from JobsOhio and Ohio’s Office 

of Workforce Transformation. The coalition has been 

continuously working to develop policy in such areas as 

retention of international students, career pathway 

assistance for skilled immigrants, and easier access to 

capital for foreign entrepreneurs.

• DOJ, the Social Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the 

Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Internal 

Revenue Service, and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders 

(WHIAAPI), housed within ED, worked together to create a video training series for federal 

employees on how to identify a LEP individual’s language needs and on essential do’s and 

don’ts. 

Over the next year, a Task Force working group, created in partnership with WHIAAPI, DOJ’s

Civil Rights Division, and the General Services Administration, will identify opportunities to 

streamline and improve language access across federal agencies. As a part of these efforts, this 

working group is evaluating tools for procuring translation and interpreting services, assessments 

of language capabilities across agencies, and ways to further leverage technology to provide inlanguage services without creating barriers for those without access to technology.

BUILDING WELCOMING COMMUNITIES’ CAPACITY

CNCS is encouraging new Americans to volunteer in their communities and to serve through its

programs. These efforts are critical to the immigrant and refugee integration process. Individuals 

who volunteer or serve in programs such as AmeriCorps and Senior Corps contribute to solving 

difficult problems, connect with others in their community, and contribute to the spirit of civic 

engagement that is integral to the American identity. In addition, volunteers and national service 

participants gain hard and soft skills that can help them obtain future employment and achieve 

educational goals. Additionally, CNCS is helping immigrant- and refugee-serving organizations 

meet the needs of new Americans. For example, the English Skills Learning Center (ESLC) 

brings the promise of integration, security, and empowerment to adult immigrants and refugees 

in Salt Lake County, Utah. ESLC’s AmeriCorps VISTA project provides a high-quality and 

culturally appropriate family, financial, and health literacy curriculum to Utah refugees and 

immigrants. 

To help further strengthen capacity, CNCS 

has committed 150 Welcoming 

Communities AmeriCorps members to 

nearly 100 different communities through 

partnerships with the YMCA, Catholic 

Charities, and national refugee resettlement 

organizations. Welcoming Communities 

AmeriCorps will help local communities

develop and implement immigrant and 

refugee integration plans. Under the

partnership with Catholic Charities, 28 

AmeriCorps VISTA members will be 

placed with Catholic Charities affiliates in 

24 cities to recruit, train, and support a 

network of volunteers that will help 

implement Catholic Charities’ work serving immigrant and refugee communities. AmeriCorps 

VISTA members will also work to develop fundraising and outreach materials for the Catholic 
14

Welcoming Communities Conference in Camp Hill: In 

October 2015 the International Service Center (ISC) hosted 

a Welcoming Communities Conference in Camp Hill, 

Pennsylvania to further expand immigrant and refugee 

integration efforts and build welcoming communities 

across the State. Over 300 community members, including 

service providers, State and local government employees, 

business leaders, health providers, refugee community 

leaders, educators and volunteers, attended. Conference 

organizers took inspiration from the Task Force’s Strategic 

Action Plan, organizing discussions in key areas such as 

Civic Engagement/Good Citizenship Practices; Pathways 

to Starting a Business for Immigrants & Refugees; 

Promising ESL Practices & Resources for Serving LEP 

Immigrants & Refugees; Helping Immigrants & Refugees 

Avoid Immigration Scams; and Meaningful Access to 

Housing Programs for LEP Immigrants & Refugees.

Charities affiliates. CNCS will work with the YMCA to place 22 AmeriCorps VISTA members 

and two VISTA leaders in 16 cities across the country. 

CNCS is also partnering with ORR to use AmeriCorps to assist local communities with 

integrating refugee populations. Through this partnership, eight resettlement agencies have been 

determined by CNCS to meet the AmeriCorps service requirements as part of the ORR Preferred 

Community Program. This partnership seeks to expand support for refugees in areas such as 

education, job readiness, housing, and financial literacy; and will also recruit, train, and manage 

volunteers to provide services to increase capacity and foster refugee integration. Those 

individuals who complete the AmeriCorps Program requirement will be eligible for a CNCS 

educational award. 

Importantly, CNCS is supporting additional research to better understand the motivations and 

benefits of new Americans’ volunteer efforts. For example, CNCS awarded a grant to George 

Mason University to research the extent to which higher levels of social capital, civic engagement 

and volunteering among immigrants are associated with greater economic opportunity and 

success for individuals and communities. In addition, AmeriCorps VISTA has developed 

guidance to encourage State offices to identify additional opportunities to support local 

government and nonprofit efforts to increase the civic, economic, and linguistic integration of 

new Americans. Over the course of the next year, this guidance could lead to additional efforts to 

build the capacity of city and county governments that are expanding multi-sector networks 

and/or developing or implementing local immigrant integration efforts.

USING THE TASK FORCE’S CONVENING POWER

The Task Force is already using its 

convening power to bring together state 

and local elected officials as well as faith, 

community, business, and philanthropic 

leaders to advance integration and 

welcoming efforts. Over the last year, the 

Task Force held a White House 

Champions of Change event honoring 

individuals dedicated to serving refugees 

in the United States and abroad, and the

White House Building Welcoming 

Communities Convening. Additionally, 

many Task Force members have 

participated in regional conferences and 

local gatherings. These included events in

Los Angeles and New York and also in 

places such as Springdale, Arkansas, and 

Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. 

Next year, the Task Force will take its efforts on the road, hosting regional immigrant integration 

conferences throughout the United States. The purpose of these regional convenings will be to: 
15

(1) Strengthen the federal regional infrastructure supporting welcoming and integration efforts; 

(2) Highlight best practices; and (3) Broaden and deepen multisector partnerships at the local 

level to advance civic, economic, and linguistic integration efforts. The Task Force looks 

forward to partnering with cities participating in the BWCC, national nongovernmental partners, 

and local leaders from a variety of sectors.
16

III. STRENGTHENING EXISTING PATHWAYS TO 

NATURALIZATION AND PROMOTING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Citizenship is a critical component of immigrant integration. It provides immigrants with the 

same rights as native-born Americans and fosters a sense of belonging and inclusion—building 

blocks of shared ownership in society. Recognizing the nexus between citizenship and immigrant 

integration, the Task Force prioritized a series of initiatives to strengthen existing pathways to 

naturalization and promote civic engagement. This civic integration strategy, outlined as part of 

the Task Force’s April 2015 action plan, includes four federal strategic goals and 13 

recommended actions. The four goals are: (1) Welcome new immigrants and promote 

citizenship; (2) Ensure greater accessibility to the naturalization process; (3) Enhance citizenship 

resources and information for qualified individuals; and (4) Expand opportunities for new 

Americans to serve and engage in their local civic life.

In the 8 months since presenting their strategic action plan, Task Force members have worked to 

implement recommended actions. Of the Task Force’s 13 recommended actions to strengthen 

existing pathways to naturalization and promote civic engagement, nine have been completed 

and the remaining four are already in progress. For example, USCIS, the agency within DHS that 

adjudicates applications for naturalization, has implemented several new initiatives in response 

to the action plan, and CNCS has used its experience mobilizing volunteers to establish and 

promote new civic engagement opportunities for new Americans. Several other Task Force 

members, including DOL, SBA, HHS, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have 

also worked to strengthen existing pathways to naturalization and promote civic engagement. 

“STAND STRONGER” CITIZENSHIP AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

On September 17, 2015, Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, President Obama launched a

multilingual public awareness campaign to promote the rights, responsibilities, and opportunities 

of citizenship. The “Stand Stronger” Citizenship Awareness Campaign reflects the belief that we 

are, and have always been, a nation of immigrants, in addition to underscoring that immigrants 

and refugees make us stronger when they are able to set down roots, harness their skills, 

contribute to our economy, and commit to citizenship. To launch this effort in partnership with 

Civic Nation and USCIS, the President released a video message encouraging eligible lawful 

permanent residents to commit to citizenship. 

As part of this campaign, the White House is working to engage immigrant- and refugee-serving 

organizations that assist individuals eligible to naturalize; businesses that provide citizenship 

workshops and English-language classes to their employees; municipalities that bring 

immigration services to places where immigrants and refugees live and work; and the 

philanthropic community that is focused on furthering these efforts.
17

City of New York City & Public Libraries: In June 

2015, Mayor Bill de Blasio and U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services (USCIS) expanded their partnership

to strengthen citizenship education and awareness in New 

York City, together with the City’s three public library 

systems (the Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public 

Library, and Queens Library systems). Under the 

expanded partnership, New Americans Corners have been 

established in all 217 library branches in the five 

boroughs. Visitors are able to access information and 

resources about citizenship, as well as obtain information 

about financial empowerment, and entrepreneurship 

support. 

On October 5, 2015, the White House 

also held a special naturalization 

ceremony to commemorate the 50th 

anniversary of the Immigration and 

Nationality Act (INA). Deputy 

Secretary of Homeland Security 

Alejandro Mayorkas, himself a 

naturalized U.S. citizen, and USCIS 

Director León Rodríguez presided 

over the ceremony welcoming 14 new 

Americans from 13 countries. Pulitzer 

Prize-winning author and historian 

Taylor Branch spoke about the 

historic change that the INA brought 

about as a piece of civil rights legislation. In his words, “Over the past 50 years, our openness to 

applicants from all nations has transformed the face of the United States literally and 

figuratively.”

PRESIDENTIAL AMBASSADORS TO PROMOTE CITIZENSHIP AND NATURALIZATION 

Launched in September 2015, the Presidential Ambassadors for Citizenship and Naturalization

(PACN) program is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the Obama Administration and 

prominent naturalized citizens and U.S.-born individuals with immigrant roots. This program 

seeks to share inspirational stories to promote the importance of naturalization, bolster integration, 

and increase awareness of the contributions of new Americans in every facet of society. The 

inaugural cohort of Presidential Ambassadors include renowned chef and restaurateur José 

Andrés, actress Diane Guerrero, singer and songwriter Dave Matthews, and former Los Angeles 

Dodgers pitching great Fernando Valenzuela. In 2016, the PACNs will work with local 

communities to help promote the naturalization process. The Task Force will seek to continue to 

name additional PACNs who can speak to the diversity of the immigrant experience and the 

contributions of new Americans in a variety of sectors. 

USCIS CITIZENSHIP PUBLIC EDUCATION AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

According to the most recent estimates by the DHS Office of Immigration Statistics, 8.8 million 

lawful permanent residents are eligible to apply for citizenship.11 In an effort to raise awareness 

about the rights, responsibilities, and importance of U.S. citizenship, and provide information on 

the naturalization process and USCIS educational resources, USCIS launched the Citizenship 

Public Education and Awareness Campaign in July 2015. This campaign began by targeting 

digital media markets in California, New York, Texas, and Florida—States with large numbers 

of potentially eligible lawful permanent residents. In September, USCIS expanded the campaign 

into six additional States: New Jersey, Illinois, Massachusetts, Virginia, Washington, and 

Arizona. Together, these 10 States are home to 75 percent of the country’s 13.1 million lawful 

permanent residents.

12
18

City of Los Angeles’s “Step Forward LA” Initiative:

The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs is

collaborating with many local partners, including the Los 

Angeles Public Library, to provide resources and support 

for individuals interesting in learning more about U.S. 

citizenship. Working with USCIS, Los Angeles has 

created Citizenship Corners in local libraries and trained 

Library staff to provide information and resources about 

citizenship directly to eligible community members. This 

year on Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, Mayor 

Eric Garcetti kicked off the "Step Forward LA" initiative, 

which aims to reach 100,000 individuals who are eligible 

to naturalize in Los Angeles. The initiative provides 

Web-based tools to help individuals learn if they may be 

eligible for citizenship and where to find local 

organizations that can help them through the process. It 

also features inspiring stories of Los Angeles residents 

who have naturalized. Mayor Garcetti celebrated 

Citizenship Day and the launch of “Step Forward LA” at 

a USCIS Children’s Citizenship Ceremony held at a local 

public library where more than 80 children became U.S. 

citizens.

USCIS also released a new series of print ads in Korean, Spanish, and Tagalog, along with new 

widgets (small applications that can be embedded into Web pages or social media sites) in 

English and Spanish. USCIS has encouraged community organizations, libraries, and cities to

support the campaign by distributing and sharing the materials throughout their networks and 

communities. Through this campaign, USCIS will continue to use these materials and leverage 

the support of its community partners in sharing this message. USCIS will also explore the 

feasibility of releasing additional data on the population of lawful permanent residents 

potentially eligible to apply for citizenship as well as information on naturalization applications

filed.

CITIZENSHIP AND INTEGRATION GRANT PROGRAM

Through the Citizenship and Integration

Grant Program, USCIS has continued to 

expand the availability of high-quality 

citizenship preparation programs for lawful 

permanent residents in communities across 

the Nation. In September 2015, USCIS 

announced nearly $10 million in grants to 

40 organizations that will help lawful 

permanent residents prepare and apply for 

U.S. citizenship. Located in 26 States, these 

organizations will receive funding to 

support citizenship preparation services 

through September 2017. 

Since it began in 2009, the Citizenship and 

Integration Grant Program has awarded a 

total of 

$53 million through 262 competitive grants 

to public or private nonprofit organizations 

in 35 States and the District of Columbia. 

Now in its 7th year, the program has helped 

more than 130,000 lawful permanent 

residents prepare for citizenship. USCIS 

anticipates that approximately 25,000 lawful permanent residents will receive citizenship 

preparation services by September 30, 2017 as a result of the FY 2015 awards issued through the 

grant program. An additional 12,000 lawful permanent residents are expected to be served under

the FY 2014 program, which continues to provide services through September 30, 2016.

USCIS has also worked to expand citizenship preparation programs in communities by 

harnessing and sharing the lessons learned from its grant recipients. USCIS grant recipients have 

demonstrated impressive creativity and innovation as they use grant funds to promote citizenship 

and immigrant integration in their local communities. USCIS highlights grant recipients’

promising practices in its Citizenship Resource Center so that other immigrant-serving 

organizations can learn from them. 
19

City of Atlanta: USCIS and the City of Atlanta entered into 

a formal partnership in April 2015 to strengthen citizenship 

education and awareness efforts among the city’s growing 

lawful permanent resident population. To date, USCIS and 

Atlanta have established 18 Citizenship Corners and 

distributed more than 24,000 copies of informational 

materials at Atlanta-Fulton Public Library branches serving 

highly populated immigrant communities, at recreation 

centers, and at Atlanta City Hall. Additionally, Atlanta 

hosted a special naturalization ceremony in September 2015 

that included community partners to provide additional 

resources and information. The Coca-Cola Company 

provided the new citizens with commemorative bottles 

labeled “Share a Coke with a New American” modeled after 

its “Share a Coke” campaign. USCIS is also collaborating 

with the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library to offer naturalization 

information sessions across the city. 

Looking to the future, USCIS is exploring ways that grant funding can further expand citizenship 

preparation programs, particularly those offered by small, community-based organizations. 

USCIS will also offer informational webinars for organizations interested in learning more about 

the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program and the federal grant application process. 

EXPAND CITIZENSHIP OUTREACH PARTNERSHIPS 

Because immigrant integration happens primarily at the local level, the Federal Government can 

increase the effectiveness of its integration efforts by collaborating with State and local 

governments to build welcoming communities. USCIS relies on State and local government 

partners to help educate immigrants about the benefits of and process toward naturalization. 

Through formal partnerships, USCIS provides information and resources to support outreach and 

engagement, training and technical 

assistance, and citizenship education 

in communities. USCIS has expanded 

its municipal partnerships. Currently 

USCIS has formal partnerships with 

the City of Los Angeles; City of 

Chicago; Metropolitan Government of 

Nashville and Davidson County, 

Tennessee; City of Atlanta; City of 

New York; City of Boston; City of 

Houston; and City of Seattle. 

Under these partnerships, USCIS has 

distributed nearly 400,000 copies of 

educational materials on citizenship 

and the unauthorized practice of 

immigration law; established 348 

citizenship corners in municipal 

facilities; conducted more than 20 naturalization information sessions; provided training on the 

naturalization process to library and other municipal staff members; aired USCIS educational 

videos and public service announcements on public broadcast stations; and conducted 

naturalization ceremonies at local government venues.

INCREASE MOBILE IMMIGRANT SERVICES

In agricultural and rural communities that have significant numbers of immigrants but are not 

located near a USCIS office, distance can be a barrier to completing naturalization and other 

immigration processes. In response, USCIS is working to establish a formal partnership with 

USDA’s Farm Service Agency to provide temporary office space for USCIS officers in 

communities that are distant from a USCIS office. Services will include biometrics collection, 

interviews associated with applications or petitions, informational appointments, and general 

presentations on immigration benefits. In September 2015, USCIS conducted a pilot project at 

the Farm Service Agency office in Fort Myers, Florida. Two USCIS officers conducted 26 
20

City & County of San Francisco: The San Francisco 

Pathways to Citizenship Initiative (SF Pathways) is a 3-

year public, private partnership between the City’s Office 

of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA), six 

philanthropic organizations, and seven expert community 

based naturalization service providers who are developing 

new approaches, methodologies and service delivery 

models to promote citizenship and civic participation 

among San Francisco’s eligible immigrants. Service 

providers offer free legal advice, application assistance, 

language services, fee waiver application assistance and 

other services. SF Pathways partners have reached over 

one million Bay Area residents, assisted thousands of 

residents with their applications for citizenship, provided 

free legal and other assistance, and trained over 500 

community volunteers over the past 2 years.

naturalization interviews over three days and held an on-site ceremony to naturalize 25 of those

individuals.

NEW TOOLS TO INFORM ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS AND ASSIST IN CITIZENSHIP PREPARATION

In addition to promoting general public awareness of the importance of citizenship, the Task 

Force recommended that USCIS explore options to provide targeted messaging to lawful 

permanent residents who may be eligible to apply for naturalization. Acting on this 

recommendation, USCIS developed and 

implemented the capability to notify 

lawful permanent residents about their 

potential eligibility for naturalization

through its Electronic Immigration 

System. When lawful permanent 

residents seek to renew or replace a 

green card online, a pop-up message 

notifies them that many lawful 

permanent residents in the United States 

are already eligible to apply for 

naturalization, and directs them to 

resources to learn about citizenship. 

USCIS will continue to seek 

opportunities to proactively inform 

lawful permanent residents about 

naturalization eligibility requirements 

and available citizenship education 

resources.

USCIS is working to develop innovative new tools to enhance the user experience and help 

lawful permanent residents prepare for the naturalization process, locate English and citizenship 

classes, determine naturalization eligibility, and apply for citizenship. USCIS launched an 

interactive civics practice test in English in September 2015, followed by a Spanish version in 

November, to help people prepare for the civics portion of the naturalization test. Individuals can 

also find English-language and citizenship preparation classes in their local area using a new 

online class locator. Next year, USCIS aims to offer applicants the ability to use myUSCIS to efile the Form N-400, Application for Naturalization and Form N-600, Application for Certificate 

of Citizenship.

PROVIDE INDIVIDUALS WITH SETTLEMENT RESOURCES 

In November 2015, USCIS published an updated version of Welcome to the United States: A 

Guide for New Immigrants. This guide contains practical information to help new immigrants 

settle into everyday life in the United States, including resources on general and specific 

challenges such as finding a place to live, getting a Social Security number, and learning how the 

U.S. system of government works. Available in 14 languages, this revised edition also includes a

new chapter called “Taking Care of Your Money” that provides information on personal finance, 
21

City of Chicago’s New Americans Initiative: In July 

2013, as part of Chicago’s New Americans Initiative, the 

Mayor’s Office partnered with USCIS to host citizenship 

workshops and disseminate information on the 

naturalization process at select Chicago Public Library 

locations. “Citizenship Corners” are available at 12 

locations of the Chicago Library to disseminate USCIS 

publications in the languages most commonly spoken in 

Chicago. In addition, 17 “Citizenship Hub” locations 

work with Board of Immigration Appeals- recognized 

legal-service groups and community organizations to host 

immigration, ESL classes and citizenship workshops. As 

part of this partnership, more than 50 librarians were 

trained on citizenship resources by USCIS staff and their 

community partners, and all 79 library locations have one 

or more copies of the USCIS Civics and Citizenship 

Toolkit available for individuals to check out from the 

library.

taxes, and financial scams. Another new chapter, “Understanding Education and Health Care,” 

offers information on the education system, adult education programs, and the health insurance 

marketplace. All lawful permanent residents are notified about the availability of this free 

publication when they receive their permanent resident card (green card).

PROVIDE SPANISH LANGUAGE IMMIGRANT 

VISA INFORMATION 

On September 17, 2015, the Department of 

State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs debuted 

Spanish translations of immigrant visa 

information on its public-facing website

(travel.state.gov). The Bureau of Consular 

Affairs issued approximately 147,000 

immigrant visas in 2014 to applicants in 

countries where Spanish is either the 

official or national language. In addition, 

there are more than 1.9 million applicants 

with pending immigrant visa petitions (both 

in family-preference or employment-based 

categories) at overseas posts who are 

chargeable to a country where Spanish is 

either the official or national language. 

INCREASE OPTIONS TO PAY FEES AND ASSESS POTENTIAL TO EXPAND FEE WAIVER

In September 2015, USCIS began accepting credit card payments for Form N-400. Previously, 

these fees could only be paid with a check or money order. USCIS is currently evaluating the 

feasibility of an expanded fee-waiver process that includes a partial fee for Form N-400, 

Application for Naturalization based on income. USCIS is considering the effects of an expanded 

Form N-400 fee waiver in its FY 2016/FY 2017 biennial review of the fees it charges for all 

immigration benefits. The results of that review will determine if DHS needs to adjust the USCIS 

fee schedule to recover the full costs of the services it provides, including services provided 

without charge to refugee and asylum applicants and to other customers eligible for fee waivers 

or exemptions. USCIS anticipates publishing a notice of proposed rulemaking by mid-year in 

2016 with the goal of having a new fee schedule in effect for FY 2017. If USCIS proposes an 

expanded Form N-400 fee waiver, it will be included in this notice of proposed rulemaking. 

USCIS last adjusted its fees in November 2010. These fee adjustments were based on the FY 

2010/FY 2011 fee review.

ACCESS TO LEGAL SERVICES AND COMBATING NOTARIO FRAUD

In recognition of the need to increase local capacity to provide low-cost legal services for 

immigrants and refugees, DOJ published a regulation to streamline the authorization process for 

representatives of nonprofit religious, charitable, social service, or similar organizations to 

represent individuals in immigration proceedings. Accredited representatives may assist 
22

immigrants in proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review’s immigration 

courts and Board of Immigration Appeals, or before DHS, or both. In September 2015, DOJ also 

published two final regulations to improve legal services in immigration proceedings. These 

included a rule to enhance eligibility requirements for pro bono legal providers to be included on 

list for public use, and a rule to allow a legal representative to assist individuals in custody and 

bond proceedings without having to commit to representation in all proceedings before the court, 

thereby allowing more individuals representation in these sensitive matters. Additionally, the 

Task Force continues efforts to protect individuals from the unauthorized practice of immigration 

law and immigration scams. Empowering individuals with information necessary to avoid 

contact with unscrupulous notarios and scammers is also a critical component to welcoming 

immigrants and fostering integration.
23

IV. SUPPORTING SKILL DEVELOPMENT, FOSTERING

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SMALL-BUSINESS GROWTH, AND

PROTECTING NEW AMERICAN WORKERS

New Americans contribute significantly at all levels of our economy. As previously noted, 

immigrants and refugees (and their children) will be responsible for most of the net growth in the 

U.S. labor force in the coming years. Immigrants also start new businesses that provide 

opportunities for all workers. 

Recognizing that economic integration yields numerous benefits for new Americans and the 

larger economy, the Task Force identified five key goals in its Strategic Action Plan: (1) 

Collaborate with employers, educational institutions, and other stakeholders to enhance skill 

development, career pathways, and integration into the workforce system; (2) Facilitate 

credentialing for new Americans as part of overall efforts on credentialing to strengthen the 

workforce; (3) Expand outreach to new Americans to ensure that workers understand their rights 

and that employers are fulfilling their responsibilities; (4) Support small businesses and 

entrepreneurship among immigrants and refugees; and (5) Increase accessibility to affordable 

housing and homeownership.

Task Force members have dedicated resources to further the economic integration of immigrants 

and refugees across the country. For example, SBA has launched training courses targeted at new 

American entrepreneurs and a campaign to encourage new Americans to use SBA tools to start 

or grow their businesses. DOL and ED are also implementing a new workforce law through 

publication of regulations, guidance, and other resources and have developed tools to help 

expand career pathways for new Americans. 

CAREER PATHWAYS AND CREDENTIALING TOOLKIT

While about thirty percent of all immigrants have college degrees, they are disproportionately 

likely to be underemployed for a variety of reasons.13 For example, as a result of the 

decentralized professional certification process in the United States, many foreign-trained new 

Americans encounter complicated obstacles as they seek recognition or recertification of their 

foreign credentials. These obstacles include overlapping—and sometimes contradictory—local, 

State, and national rules, procedures, and examinations.14 Additionally, new Americans 

sometimes face barriers securing jobs that are most relevant for their skills because they are LEP

or lack the confidence in their English skills to effectively pursue those positions. According to a

recent OECD report, roughly 40 percent of immigrant adults lacked basic English literacy and 48 

percent lacked basic numeracy, which makes it challenging for this population to access training 

programs that lead to industry-recognized credentials.15
24

Michigan Office for New Americans (MONA): MONA 

was created to help grow Michigan's economy by 

attracting global talent to the State and promote the skills, 

energy, and entrepreneurial spirit of Michigan’s 

immigrant communities. The Office helps coordinate 

existing services to immigrants and facilitate partnerships 

with nonprofits, foundations and the private sector. 

MONA has worked with Global Detroit, a local initiative, 

and Upwardly Global (UpGlo), a national nonprofit 

organization, to open an UpGlo Detroit office. This office 

is helping to advance and promote several initiatives, 

including online licensing guides for 15 professions, 

developed by UpGlo with support from the Michigan 

Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. 

Additionally, in November 2015, MONA launched the 

Michigan International Talent Solutions program that will 

help skilled immigrants who are new to Michigan return 

to their careers by offering invaluable resources to connect 

immigrants in their professional job search with 

employers who are hiring, particularly in STEM fields.

In September 2015, DOL, in collaboration 

with ED, HHS and other federal agencies, 

released the Career Pathways Toolkit to 

provide a framework, resources, and tools 

for States and local partners to develop, 

implement, and sustain career pathways 

systems and programs. The toolkit features 

six key elements of career pathways that 

help to guide local and State teams 

through the essential components 

necessary for developing a comprehensive 

career pathways system. The toolkit 

includes several examples of current best 

practices for serving immigrants, refugees, 

and new Americans. DOL and partner 

agencies plan to release a companion 

workbook that includes additional tools 

and resources to assist States and local 

partners in developing, implementing, and 

sustaining career pathways systems and 

programs, sector strategies, and registered apprenticeships.

In 2016, the Task Force will bring together governments and associations that significantly 

influence immigrant labor market success at a Credentialing Academy. This convening will be 

used to: (1) Highlight how state and local policies and practices can either help or hinder 

credential attainment and recognition, along with the role that professional associations play in 

mapping out credentialing pathways; (2) Spotlight and share best practices; (3) Secure state, 

local, union, employer, and other commitments to support the credential attainment and 

recognition for immigrants; and (4) Recognize the credential attainment and accomplishments of 

immigrants and refugees.

IMPLEMENT NEW WORKFORCE PROGRAMS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NEW AMERICANS

On July 22, 2014, President Obama signed into law the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 

Act (WIOA), bipartisan legislation reforming the public workforce system administered by DOL 

and ED and implemented by State and local public and nonprofit agencies. WIOA emphasizes 

job-driven approaches to workforce development with a focus on career pathways models for a 

range of job seekers and workers, prioritizing individuals with barriers to employment. WIOA 

also drives the implementation of sector strategies within local economic regions to support

growth industries and help employers meet demand for skilled workers. Finally, WIOA requires 

partnerships and coordination across multiple federal job training and supportive services 

programs for workers. The new law went into effect on July 1, 2015 with various provisions 

phased in over several years.
25

City of Louisville: On May 22, 2015, the AS/COA 

Immigration and Integration Initiative held a public 

luncheon in Louisville that brought together government, 

the private sector, and community leaders from the city 

and across the country. Panelists discussed the role of 

immigrants in making Louisville a globally competitive 

and culturally vibrant hub and proposed strategies for 

attracting foreign-born talent and nurturing immigrant-led 

entrepreneurial ventures. The AS/COA’s Immigration 

and Integration Initiative works with the business 

community, public sector, and civil society in new 

gateway cities to advance the integration of immigrants 

and promote positive dialogue around the economic 

contributions of immigrants in the United States.

Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians: The 

Center connects newly arrived individuals from around 

the world with the economic opportunities that they need 

to succeed in the greater Philadelphia area. The Center has 

been serving the immigrant community since 2003 and 

has assisted more than 10,000 people from over 140 

countries. In November 2015, the Center hosted a two-part 

symposium series titled “Immigrants: Boosting Economic 

Growth.” The symposium focused on furthering the 

Center’s efforts to take advantage of immigration to 

reinvigorate its communities, infuse local economies with 

new businesses and talent, attract and retain newcomers, 

and be competitive in the global economy. 

Since WIOA was signed into law, DOL ED, and HHS have been working closely to establish 

and provide guidance and technical assistance to the State and local workforce system 

implementers and to support overall implementation of WIOA, both through the transition to the 

new law, and ultimately to achieve the job driven vision for WIOA. DOL has established the 

Innovation and Opportunity Network

(ION), an up-to-date online resource on 

WIOA implementation that includes a 

clearinghouse of all documents 

pertaining to the new law. 

To date, DOL and ED have issued a joint 

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 

(NPRM) interpreting the joint provisions 

of the new law, including State planning, 

one-stop career center provisions, and 

performance reporting. DOL and ED

have also issued a joint Information 

Collection Request (ICR) covering 

required reporting in the law. DOL and 

each of its federal partner programs have issued a joint Information Collection Request for 

Unified and Combined State planning provisions across programs. In addition, the Departments 

have issued NPRMs and ICRs for the individual program provisions administered by each 

Department. The public responded with extensive, thoughtful comments on these proposals. The 

Departments are currently in the process of analyzing and responding to these comments.

In addition, DOL has issued Operating Guidance to support the public workforce system’s 

implementation of WIOA. In the coming months as WIOA implementation is phased in, DOL 

will continue to issue guidance that will, for example, support States in developing and 

submitting State plans as required by the law, and to provide additional information on new 

performance and reporting 

requirements under WIOA. In 

addition to this guidance, DOL 

continues to provide technical 

assistance through the ION in the form 

of webinars and regional meetings as 

well as planning tools developed for 

use by the States. Further, DOL and 

ED are working to hold a national 

convening in Washington, DC, in 

January 2016. This convening will 

pull together State and local teams 

nationwide to support implementation 

efforts.

DOL is also currently implementing a customer-centered design project in 25 States. This project 

is working with communities and their one-stop career centers to come up with innovative new 
26

City of St. Louis: In May 2015, St. Louis Mayor Francis 

Slay announced an agreement with the U.S. Small 

Business Administration to promote entrepreneurship to 

immigrants in St. Louis. The agreement fosters 

cooperative efforts between the City of St. Louis and the 

local SBA office to boost outreach on entrepreneurship 

training, counseling and small business development in St. 

Louis neighborhoods, with particular emphasis on 

immigrant and refugee communities. The SBA is also 

working with the St. Louis Mosaic Project and the St. 

Louis Economic Development Partnership to promote this 

initiative. Anna Croslin, President and CEO of the 

International Institute of St. Louis, was featured as a 

White House Champion of Change during World Refugee 

Day. Anna was instrumental in the founding and 

operation of the St. Louis Mosaic Project, a nationallyrecognized multi-sector effort that aims to make St. Louis 

the fastest growing U.S. metropolitan area for immigrants 

by 2020 by welcoming newcomers, and harnessing their 

new energy, ideas, and talent. 

concepts identified by WIOA, quickly prototype them, implement them, and improve services to

customers. DOL anticipates holding a learning exchange for these communities in early 2016, 

and to continue peer mentoring throughout the spring of 2016. As part of its ION technical 

assistance network, DOL is planning to provide technical assistance in 2016 to the workforce 

system around serving populations facing barriers to employment, including new Americans. In 

November 2015, DOL joined a webinar hosted by ORR on WIOA and refugee populations. DOL 

anticipates future work with specific populations to educate community groups on the workforce 

system and provisions under WIOA, as well as outreach and guidance to the workforce system to 

facilitate connections with welcoming communities and immigrant-serving organizations. 

SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP AMONG NEW AMERICANS

In spring 2015, the SBA launched its New Americans Initiative to support the goals of economic 

integration by focusing on helping new Americans succeed in the entrepreneurial and smallbusiness landscape. The initiative combines educational training with a robust publicengagement and media campaign, and is expanding outreach through partnerships at the local, 

State, and federal level. New Americans Initiative activities include the following: 

• In collaboration with local partners, SBA is piloting “SBA 101” classes in targeted cities 

with high concentrations of 

immigrants and refugees. These

classes provide a primer on 

resources available to 

entrepreneurs and small businesses 

focusing on business planning, 

capital access, and counseling 

services. Thus far, SBA has held 

over 80 classes across the country. 

• To help increase accessibility to 

information and ease of use, the 

SBA launched a page targeted to 

new Americans. The Made It In 

America website contains a 

resource list with links, a calendar

of upcoming events and SBA 101 

trainings, and videos of new 

Americans who have made it with 

the help of the SBA. One of those 

Americans is the Administrator,

Maria Contreras-Sweet, whose immigration story video is featured.

• During Small Business Saturday on November 28, 2015, a day to support small businesses 

and all they do for their communities, the SBA helped promote new American entrepreneurs 

through business visits and social media. 
27

• SBA also released the “Business Smart Toolkit,” a 3-module ready-to-use workshop toolkit 

that equips community organizations to host a workshop that lays the groundwork for 

helping new Americans understand the steps to starting a business that is credit ready. SBA 

has partnered with 10 National organizations to deploy Business Smart Workshops across the 

United States. The toolkit is available in both English and Spanish.

SBA’s resource partners understand the challenges many immigrant entrepreneurs face. SBA’s 

Small Business Development Centers and the SCORE Association’s “Counselors to America’s 

Small Business” have experienced counselors who offer entrepreneurs consulting and business 

advice. Women’s Business Centers are addressing the needs of aspiring women immigrant 

entrepreneurs across America each day. To help increase access to capital, the SBA is helping 

new American entrepreneurs obtain access to capital to start and grow their businesses through 

its Microloan Program. SBA is helping new American entrepreneurs obtain access capital to start 

and grow their businesses through its Microloan program. The average SBA microloan is about 

$13,000. Funds are made available by intermediary lenders, which are nonprofit, communitybased organizations with experience in lending as well as management and technical assistance. 

As a member of the Task Force, the U.S. Department of Commerce supports business 

development and capacity building for new American entrepreneurs through the Minority 

Business Development Agency (MBDA). MBDA helps create and maintain U.S. jobs by 

promoting the growth and global competitiveness of large, medium, and small businesses owned 

and operated by members of the minority communities. 

Many new American entrepreneurs belong to the diaspora of businesses that are owned or 

controlled by the following persons or groups of persons are eligible to receive MBDA business 

assistance services: African American, Hispanic American, American Asian and Pacific Islander, 

Native American (including Alaska Natives, Alaska Native Corporations and Tribal entities), 

Asian Indian American, and Hasidic Jewish Americans.16

MBDA sponsors various resources in support of minority businesses. They include:

• A national network of more than 40 business centers and a wide range of domestic and 

international strategic partners to provide minority businesses with technical assistance 

and assistance with access to capital, contract opportunities, and new markets;

• An internet Web portal that provides information for and about minority businesses, as 

well as tools and resources to support business start-up, growth, and development; and

• A nationwide network of strategic partners to assist the needs of start-up and micro 

businesses.

Looking ahead to next year, SBA is exploring additional avenues to reach and serve new 

American entrepreneurs through expanded partnerships with nongovernment organizations as 

well as municipal governments. This past year, SBA signed a memoranda of understanding with 

the cities of Nashville and St. Louis to increase education and outreach in their cities specifically 
28

toward new Americans. SBA and MBDA will also explore ways to partner together to better 

serve new American entrepreneurs and businesses.

INCREASING MEANINGFUL ACCESS TO HOUSING PROGRAMS

Building capital and nurturing individual and family assets and well-being provides new 

Americans a way to establish long-term financial stability, thereby bolstering immigrant 

integration as well as driving economic growth in neighborhoods and local communities. In July 

2015, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a new grant 

opportunity to fight housing discrimination. Under its 2015 Fair Housing Initiatives Program 

(FHIP), HUD made $39 million available for six new types of grants that support fair housing 

capacity building, education and outreach activities, and testing in rental and sales transactions.

Through FHIP’s Fair Housing Organizations Initiative, and Education and Outreach Initiative, 

HUD awarded grants to help build the capacity and effectiveness of nonprofit fair housing 

organizations, particularly organizations that focus on the rights and needs of underserved groups 

such as rural and immigrant populations. One of these grants will serve immigrants, particularly 

those with limited English proficiency, to increase knowledge of fair housing rights with a 

primary emphasis on housing discrimination related to national origin. Under the Education and 

Outreach Initiative grants, the National Programs Component will enable organizations to 

address one or more forms of national origin discrimination in rental, sales, or lending.
29

Instituto del Progress Latino’s Carreras En Salud 

Program: Staff members at Instituto del Progresso 

Latino in Chicago, Illinois, learned early on that to keep 

their adult population engaged in learning they needed an 

innovative curriculum approach. Contextualized basic 

skills courses allowed the Carreras En Salud program to 

combine academic instruction with technical training for 

the healthcare industry. Instituto’s curriculum developers 

observed the workplaces of their employer partners, 

specifically looking at the duties, skills, and information 

required to perform jobs such as Certified Nursing 

Assistant (“CAN”) and Licensed Practical Nurse 

(“LPN”). These observations led to the production of a 

customized curriculum that combined skill building 

based on the needs of employers with basic academic 

skills instruction that learners needed. Instituto’s success 

is clearly demonstrated in its high retention rates (70 

percent to 90 percent, depending on the cohort) and the 

average wage increases of their LPN program 

participants ($10 to $25 per hour). Additionally, 88 

percent of students complete their Vocational English 

Language Acquisition (“ELA”)/Pre-CNA courses and 77 

percent advance to the bridge portion of the program. 

V. EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LINGUISTIC INTEGRATION 

AND EDUCATION

English-language acquisition is vitally important for new Americans to integrate successfully 

into their communities. Though some new Americans come to the United States fluent in 

English, many do not. Understanding and communicating in English has a significant impact on 

the ability of an immigrant or refugee to find a job, advance in a career, and become civically 

active in his or her community. Therefore, one of the most effective ways to help non-Englishspeaking immigrants and refugees integrate into American society is to support their acquisition 

of English-language skills while also valuing and recognizing the importance of maintaining 

native language proficiency to preserve culture and intergenerational communication.

The Task Force has been focused on implementing strategies to advance four key goals to 

enhance language acquisition: (1) Ensure all new Americans can access high-quality language 

instruction; (2) Ensure that new Americans have meaningful access to high-quality early learning 

from birth to kindergarten; (3) Raise the EL high school graduation rate so it is equivalent to the 

overall national graduation rate; and (4) Improve new Americans’ access to postsecondary 

education and training. 

HIGHLIGHTING EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY MODELS, AND POLICIES 

To support the work of the Task Force, ED 

launched a monthly webinar series focused 

on the educational and linguistic 

integration of immigrants and refugees.

The webinars have brought together ED

staff, researchers, and practitioners to 

highlight promising practices that support 

the educational attainment of immigrants 

and refugees. The webinar topics have 

included: America’s Youngest Pioneers: 

Immigrant Children, Youth and Adults—

What does the data show?; Creating 

Welcoming Schools; Engaging Immigrant 

Parents, Families, and Concerned Adults; 

The Benefits of Dual-Language Learning; 

and Early Learning Opportunities for 

Every Child. ED recently held a webinar

on the impact of early life trauma for 

children who are adopted internationally 

into American families and continues to 

explore ways to more fully respond to the 

needs of this population. 
30

Additional webinars will highlight the ED’s recent Pathways to Postsecondary Education and 

Career Training Success. To date, the ED has held five successful webinars with over 400 

participants.

Additionally, during the 2015 Hispanic Heritage Month, the White House Initiative on 

Educational Excellence for Hispanics, housed within ED, released the “Bright Spots in Hispanic 

Education” national online catalog. This catalogue features over 230 programs, models, 

organizations and initiatives that are investing in the educational attainment of Hispanics, from 

cradle-to-career, including programs supporting immigrant integration for Hispanics. The 

President also announced 150 “Commitments to Action” with a collective investment of over 

$335 million that will build on and accelerate federal, State, and local investments in highquality education, from cradle-to-career, for students across the country, including new 

immigrants, refugees, and ELs.

EARLY LEARNING TOOLKIT FOR PARENTS

The HHS Administration for Children and Families (ACF), in collaboration with Too Small to 

Fail and ED, developed a suite of resources that can help enrich children’s early language 

experiences beginning from birth. This toolkit includes tip sheets for families, preschool 

teachers, and infant/toddler teachers and caregivers, as well as a fact sheet that highlights the 

evidence behind the benefits of being bilingual and embracing children’s home languages. 

Additionally, ED and ACF is engaged in numerous efforts to create greater awareness about the 

benefits of early learning for immigrants and refugees. 

• In June 2015, the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, 

housed within ED, held the “2015 Early Learning Symposium: Fulfilling America’s 

Future: Research, Practice and Policy Advancing Early Childhood Education for 

Hispanics” in Chicago, IL. The symposium was used as a venue to disseminate ED’s 

early learning work on the promising practices and opportunities facing Hispanic duallanguage learners and share the research, policies, and national efforts taking place with 

nonprofits at the local level. 

• In June 2015, ACF also hosted a regional symposium to link refugee families with early 

learning programs such as Child Care and Head Start in partnership with ORR, Offices of 

Head Start, and Child Care and Maryland’s Departments of Education and Human 

Services. About 40 refugee resettlement and early learning professionals from Baltimore

and its six surrounding counties participated in the symposium. During the symposium, 

participants worked across sectors to develop local plans for improving refugees’ access 

to early learning, including having Head Start workers co-located at resettlement agencies 

to assist with enrollment. The symposium received high marks; 94 percent of participants 

stated that the event facilitated collaboration across networks.

• In October 2015, the Office of Regional Operations (ORO) provided a presentation at the 

Virginia Head Start Association’s Health and Family Institute, focused on the intersection 

of two Presidential initiatives: early learning and immigrant integration. 
31

English for New Bostonians/English Works: 

English for New Bostonians (ENB) is a publicprivate-community collaboration addressing the 

need for increased English-language learning 

opportunities for adult immigrants in Boston. 

ENB collaborators include the City of Boston, 

foundations, corporations, nonprofits, and 

community organizations. It has built several 

partnerships to expand and enhance Englishlanguage learning programs. For example, ENB 

partnered with the Massachusetts Immigration 

and Refugee Coalition to develop a free 11-week 

program that offers computer-assisted English 

classes and legal assistance completing 

immigration applications. Through the English 

Works campaign, a coalition of immigrant 

community leaders, labor unions, business and 

civic leaders, educators, and advocates across 

Massachusetts are working to create a 

sustainable, high-quality ESOL system that 

meets the needs of immigrant workers and their 

employers. 

• In November 2015, ORO, OHS, OCC and ORR co-hosted a webinar on immigrant 

integration and early learning, including tools for replicating the regional symposium 

held in June 2015. This webinar is provided tools for regional, State and local officials to 

jointly host a symposium or other activities to better link refugee families with early 

learning opportunities. 

ENGLISH LEARNER TOOL KIT

In September 2015, with assistance from DOJ, ED released its completed English Learner Tool 

Kit to support States, districts, and schools in meeting their legal obligations to ELs and ensuring 

access to quality education.

Included in the EL Tool Kit are resources for 

identifying ELs, delivering high-quality EL 

programs, evaluating the effectiveness of these 

programs, preventing unnecessary segregation, 

providing qualified staff, ensuring access to 

school programs and activities (including 

disability-related services), transitioning ELs 

from language programs at the appropriate time, 

monitoring students’ progress, and supporting 

LEP parents. Following its release, the Tool Kit 

received praise from around the country and 

from nonprofit organizations, federal agencies, 

and school districts. ED continues to look for 

ways to promote and disseminate the Toolkit to 

communities seeking to advance high-quality 

language instruction. 

NETWORKS FOR INTEGRATING NEW 

AMERICANS

ED’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) is committed to understanding 

how adult education can improve immigrants’ access to effective and innovative Englishlanguage programs, support immigrants on the path to citizenship, and support immigrants’ 

career development through training and education. Since March 2013, OCTAE has supported

the Networks for Integrating New Americans project through a contract with World Education, 

Inc., and its partner organizations, including National Partnership for New Americans, 

IMPRINT, Network Impact, Community Science, and Welcoming America. Together, these 

organizations have been supporting and documenting immigrant integration models that 

strategically coordinate across services and providers to promote linguistic, civic, and economic 

integration. This effort is guided by a theoretical framework and provides technical assistance to 

help local immigrant integration networks plan and implement immigrant integration activities. 
32

Walmart Foundation’s Increased Investment in 

Immigrant Integration: The Walmart Foundation is 

supporting several efforts to advance immigrant 

integration among their employees. For example, in 

September the Walmart Foundation announced the 

Hispanic Integration Project that will provide $1.5 

million in grant funding to the Hispanic Federation, 

the League of United Latin American Citizens, and 

the National Council of La Raza to support ESL 

training and civic engagement in 11 States providing 

services to nearly 19,000 Hispanic immigrants. The 

Walmart Foundation is also investing in efforts to 

increase English-language skills among retail 

workers through a new project, Skills and 

Opportunity for the New American Workforce ̧ a 

coalition between the National Immigration Form, 

Miami Dade College, and the Community College 

Consortium for Immigrant Education. 

Five diverse networks were selected through a national, competitive application process. The

networks and their lead organizations are: (1) Central Valley Immigrant Integration Network in 

Fresno, California, led by the Fresno Adult School; (2) Neighbors United Network in Boise, 

Idaho, led by the Idaho Office for Refugees; (3) Lancaster Refugee Coalition in Lancaster, 

Pennsylvania, led by the Lancaster Literacy Council; (4) We Rhode Island Network in 

Providence, Rhode Island, led by the Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative; and (5) White 

Center, Promise in King County, Washington, led by the White Center Neighborhood 

Development Association.

On October 29, 2015, representatives from World Education, along with the coordinators and 

members of each network, met with the Task Force to provide a briefing on the status of their 

work and lessons learned. It was also an opportunity for the federal partners to ask questions of 

the Networks, and to share information about their federal initiatives that might be helpful to 

their local efforts. Across the five networks, a key accomplishment is the increased participation 

of immigrants and refugees in adult education services and civic engagement. For example, the 

Central Valley Immigrant Integration Network partners have realized increased participation in 

ESL, Adult Secondary Education and their new Vocational ESL program for DACA-eligible 

residents, and they have increased their voter 

registration efforts in Network celebrations and 

adult school events.

Accomplishments also include better 

collaboration that allows various immigrantand refugee-focused groups and their partners to 

successfully capture funding opportunities.

Several Networks have been able to create and 

implement a better-integrated funding model, 

and they are receiving multi-year funding from 

different funding sources. This integrated 

funding is enabling the Neighbors United 

Network in Idaho to increase its members’ 

capacity to help highly educated, high-skilled 

immigrants and refugees to receive recredentialing and higher-paying jobs within 

their professions. Successful integrated funding 

is also helping the White Center Network in the 

State of Washington to integrate ESOL with 

civic engagement, as well as to implement creative ways for members of the receiving 

community to read, share and learn about immigrant experiences.
33

Seattle’s Ready to Work Program: Seattle Mayor 

Ed Murray, the Seattle City Council, and three City 

agencies—the Human Services Department, Office 

of Economic Development, and the Office of 

Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA)—along 

with a group of engaged stakeholders took action to 

create the Ready to Work (RTW) program. RTW 

was created as a prototype of English-language 

acquisition and employment. Through RTW, 

Seattle aims to empower and support immigrants, 

refugees, and others to overcome barriers to reach 

milestones on their difficult journey to economic 

stability, quality jobs, and integration into life in 

Seattle. The program combines ESL classes with 

computer literacy instruction and case management 

to help immigrants gain job readiness skills and 

take steps toward economic self-sufficiency. The 

success of RTW will be measured over the next 

year by determining the rate at which participants 

achieve their employment and English-language 

proficiency goals. OIRA is contracting with RTI 

International to conduct an independent evaluation 

of RTW and its findings will be reported to the 

Mayor’s Office and City Council.

Other accomplishments include better 

collaboration with employers. For example, the 

We Rhode Island Network has more 

meaningfully engaged potential employers to 

strategize ways to better meet the real workforce 

needs of employers and therefore create real job 

opportunities for immigrants and refugees. The 

Lancaster Refugee Coalition in Pennsylvania has 

engaged employers and their workforce 

development partners to create an improved 

articulation of career pathways supports for 

English-language learners, including immigrants 

and refugees who are learning English as an 

additional language. 

In addition to the meeting with the Task Force, 

the Networks engaged in a two-day convening at 

ED, receiving further technical assistance from 

World Education, their partners, and nationally

recognized subject matter experts in network 

development, workforce development, ESL, and 

immigrant integration.

The two key themes emerging from this project

are (1) the critical importance of network development in support of immigrant integration, and 

(2) the central role of adult-education providers in immigrant integration efforts. Both of these 

themes will be explored and further described, based in the experiences of the networks, in the 

project’s final report expected in March 2016. OCTAE’s technical assistance to these networks 

will continue through February 2016 and will include a national webinar during which the 

networks will share the final outcomes of their projects, as well as their plans for sustaining these 

efforts beyond the project period. 

As we head into 2016, ED will launch a $2.4 million technical assistance investment in FY 16 

using National Leadership Activities funds available under Title II of WIOA, the Adult 

Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA), to assist state and local adult educators in scaling 

place-based network models of immigrant integration. AEFLA provides over $70 million of 

formula funding for “integrated English literacy and civics education (IELCE), which are 

education services provided to English language learners who are adults, including professionals 

with degrees and credentials in their native countries, that enables such adults to achieve 

competency in the English language and acquire the basic and more advanced skills needed to 

function effectively as parents, workers, and citizens in the United States. Such services shall 

include instruction in literacy and English language acquisition and instruction on the rights and 

responsibilities of citizenship and civic participation, and may include workforce training. This 

new technical assistance investment will assist local recipients of the IELCE formula funds in 

understanding how they can best achieve the program’s purpose as well as fulfill its requirements 

by adopting a collective impact, network-based approach to providing immigrant integration 
34

services. Additionally, ED will be issuing further guidance in the next year on new statutory 

requirements that apply to the IELCE program under WIOA.
35

VI. CONCLUSION

As President Obama reminded us during Immigrant Heritage Month, one of the remarkable 

things about America is that nearly all of our families originally came from someplace else. 

We’re a nation of immigrants. It’s a source of our strength and something we all can take pride 

in. Our tradition of welcoming immigrants and refugees from around the world has given us a 

tremendous advantage over other nations. New Americans are the Nation’s future workforce, 

entrepreneurs, and innovators. It is incumbent upon us to meet the integration needs of 

immigrants and refugees and to build strong, cohesive communities that are more inclusive and 

economically robust.

This is why the Obama Administration is committed to strengthening the underlying federal 

infrastructure to meet the needs of and capitalize on the momentum created by proactive 

integration and welcoming efforts in receiving communities. The Task Force will continue to 

seek to institutionalize its work to ensure coordination among federal agencies and maximize the 

impact of their efforts. The Task Force’s initial process for developing the federal strategy has 

already increased cross-agency collaboration. Several agencies have developed joint 

recommendations in cross-cutting areas and are now implementing these ideas. For example, 

CNCS and ORR are partnering to develop national service opportunities to integrate refugee 

populations by placing AmeriCorps members in eight refugee resettlement agencies. Similarly, 

SBA is teaming up with DOL to provide small businesses with more information on their 

responsibilities to workers. And USCIS is working with USDA to bring their immigration 

services to rural communities. The Task Force will continue to convene to enhance informationsharing efforts and crosscutting efforts, in areas such as adult education and workforce training, 

that bolster the integration of new Americans.

As we move forward next year, the Task Force will strive to continue meeting its core goals by 

implementing the new initiatives mentioned in this report as well as seeking opportunities to 

convene leaders in the private, philanthropic, and public sectors dedicated to enhancing the 

integration of new Americans. Recognizing the crucial role that communities play in helping to 

institutionalize the Task Force’s core goals, we will also continue to leverage outreach and 

federal-state-local partnership opportunities by engaging trusted voices across regional, State, 

and local levels. We also hope to expand the reach of the Building Welcoming Communities 

and the “Stand Stronger” Citizenship Awareness Campaigns. By building and strengthening 

welcoming communities, promoting successful long-term integration, and sharing our stories, we 

can stay true to our heritage as a nation of immigrants and keep the American Dream alive for 

generations to come.
36

END NOTES

 

1 Office of the Press Secretary. “Fact Sheet: ‘Stand Stronger’ Citizenship Awareness Campaign.” The White House. 

September 2015. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/09/17/fact-sheet-stand-stronger-citizenshipawareness-campaign 2

United States Census Bureau. “Selected Characteristics of the Native and Foreign-Born Populations.” American 

Fact Finder. 2014. 

http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_14_1YR_S0501&prodType

=table

3 Supra note 1. 4 Myers, Dowell, Stephen Levy, and John Pitkin. “The Contributions of Immigrants and Their Children to the 

American Workforce and Jobs of the Future.” Center for American Progress. June 2013. 

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/report/2013/06/19/66891/the-contributions-of-immigrantsand-their-children-to-the-american-workforce-and-jobs-of-the-future/ 5 Akbari, Ather H. “Immigrant Naturalization and Its Impacts on Immigrant Labour Market Performance and 

Treasury.” In Pieter Bevelander and Don J. DeVoretz, eds., The Economics of Citizenship (Malmö, Sweden: Malmö 

University). 2008. Bratsberg, Bernt, James F. Ragan, Jr., and Zafar M. Nasir. “The Effect of Naturalization on Wage 

Growth: A Panel Study of Young Male Immigrants.” Journal of Labor Economics 20(3): 568–597. 2002. 

http://people.terry.uga.edu/mustard/courses/e8420/Citizenship.pdf. Pastor, Manuel and Justin Scoggins. “Citizen 

Gain: The Economic Benefits of Naturalization for Immigration and the Economy.” Center for the Study of 

Immigrant Immigration. 2012. http://dornsife.usc.edu/assets/sites/731/docs/citizen_gain_web.pdf 6 United States Census Bureau. “Selected Characteristics of the Native and Foreign-Born Populations.” American 

Fact Finder. 2014. 

http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_14_1YR_S0501&prodType

=table. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Foreign-Born Workers: Labor Force Characteristics – 2014.”

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/forbrn.pdf

7 Fairlie, Robert W. “Immigrant Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners, and Their Access to 

Financial Capital.” Small Business Administration. 2012. https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/rs396tot.pdf 8 Partnership for a New American Economy. “The ‘New American’ Fortune 500.” June 2011. 

http://www.renewoureconomy.org/research/new-american-fortune-500/ 9 Wadhwa, Vivek, AnnaLee Saxenian, Ben A. Rissing, and Gary Gereffi. 2007. “America’s New Immigrant 

Entrepreneurs: Part I.” Duke Science, Technology & Innovation Paper 23. 

10 Ricardo Gambetta. “Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 2014 (WIOA) Summary.” National Immigration 

Forum. March 2015. https://immigrationforum.org/blog/wioa-2014-summary/ 11 Bryan Baker and Nancy Rytina. “Estimates of the Lawful Permanent Resident Population in the United States: 

January 2013”. Department of Homeland Security. September 2014. 

https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/ois_lpr_pe_2013.pdf

12 Ibid. 13 Ji, Qingqing and Jeanne Batalova. “College-Educated Immigrants in the United States.” Migration Policy 

Institute. 2012. http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/college-educated-immigrants-united-states 1414 Rabben, Linda. Credential Recognition in the United States for Foreign Professionals. Migration Policy 

Institute. 2013. http://www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/UScredentialrecognition.pdf 15 “Time for the U.S. to Reskill? What the Survey of Adult Skills Says.” OECD. 2013. 

http://skills.oecd.org/Survey_of_Adult_Skills_US.pdf

16 See 15 C.F.R. §1400.1, 1400.2 and Executive Order 11625.