Interagency Strategy for Promoting Naturalization

First Anniversary 

Accomplishment Highlights
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President Biden issued Executive Order 14012, Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and 

Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans, on February 2, 2021. The Order 

established the Interagency Naturalization Working Group on Promoting Naturalization (NWG), 

currently comprised of thirteen (13) federal agencies, and directed the NWG to submit a strategy to 

the President on the steps the federal government should take to promote naturalization. USCIS 

published the Interagency Strategy for Promoting Naturalization on July 2, 2021. The NWG made 

significant progress this year and full progress reports are available on the USCIS website. 

Naturalization by the Numbers 

• New U.S. Citizens and Citizenship Ceremonies – Naturalized 

over 800,000 individuals and held over 8,000 citizenship 

ceremonies across the country since the publication of the 

Interagency Strategy in July 2021. 

• Video Interviews for Military Members – Conducted over 

1500 naturalization interviews for military members via 

tele-videos. 

• Form N-400 (Application for Naturalization) Backlog 

Reduction – Decreased pending case backlog by over 

200,000 from 910,000 to 700,000 since publication of the 

Interagency Strategy (the naturalization backlog has been 

reduced by over 300,000 since January 2021). 

• N-400 Application Time Cycle Goal – USCIS aims to reduce N-400 processing time cycle to six 

months by the close of fiscal year 2023. 

Public Information Data Releases and Reports

• The “Eligible to Naturalize” Data Dashboard – Released to members of Interagency 

Naturalization Working Group and providing statistics on those eligible to apply for 

naturalization by birth country, age, gender, admission class, and time as lawful permanent 

resident (LPR). USCIS plans to release the Dashboard publicly in Fall 2022. 

• Several Data and Statistical Webpages and Reports – Includes infographic webpage on Military 

Naturalization Statistics, infographic webpage on Naturalization Statistics, and the reports 

Characteristics of People Who Naturalized and Trends in Naturalization Rates. 

• 22 “Eligible to Naturalize Data” Fact Sheets – Detailed information on and for LPR populations 

in specific communities coinciding with federal interagency partner outreach efforts. USCIS will 

release additional fact sheets and LPR data from specific areas on a rolling basis. 
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Citizenship Information and Educational Resources 

• Fact Sheets on the Naturalization Process for Groups in Specific Circumstances 

» Lawful permanent residents living and working in multiple states 

» Lawful permanent residents who are 50 years or older

» Individuals granted cancellation of removal or suspension of deportation

» Low-income applicants

» Homeless applicants

» Lawful permanent residents who had refugee or asylee status 

» Lawful permanent residents who had T or U nonimmigrant visa status

» VAWA lawful permanent residents

» Adoptive parents of children issued IH-4 and IR-4 visas

» Special immigrant juveniles

• New and Revised Educational Materials 

» Updates to Scoring Guidelines for the U.S. Naturalization Test 

» Adult Citizenship Education Sample Curriculum for a High Beginning Level ESL Course

» A More Perfect Union: The Civics Test Guide to the Monuments and Memorials on the 

National Mall

» N-400 Topic Exercise: Oath of Allegiance

» Two-Generational Approaches to Citizenship 

» 10 Steps to Naturalization (Spanish) (also available in English)

• New Video PSAs – Both audio and non-audio versions. PSAs are airing in select CBP airport 

Ports of Entry (POEs) and with NWG partner stakeholders. 

• Online Naturalization Eligibility Tool – USCIS redesigned the N-400 (Application for 

Naturalization) webpage to include a tool that encourages online applications and walks 

prospective applicants through basic eligibility requirements. 

• Form I-90 (Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card), webpage and online application 

portal updates – USCIS added a link to the Naturalization Eligibility Tool as well as messaging on 

the benefits of U.S. citizenship. 
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• “Enumeration Beyond Entry” – USCIS and the Social Security Administration (SSA) is automating 

the Social Security Number (SSN) processes for noncitizens.

• Materials Distribution to USOs – USCIS and the United Service Organization (USO) set up 

distribution of citizenship materials at USO locations around the country with the highest 

volume of foot traffic.

Outreach Initiatives and Public Engagements 

• Citizenship and Integration Grants Program – With an increased congressional appropriation of 

$20 million in total, USCIS released four (4) Notices of Funding Opportunities calling for new and 

innovative approaches and targeted outreach to remote, underserved, or isolated communities 

(launched June 27, 2022). 

• Television, Radio, and Social Media Outreach – USCIS executed television and radio interviews 

in several LPR languages, including in Vietnamese on The Saigon Broadcasting Television Network

and in Spanish on Radio Campesina. USCIS also re-activated its Spanish language social media 

account and leveraged NWG partner social media platforms. 

• Interagency Partner Network Outreach – Partners reached well over 20,000 local stakeholders 

and program beneficiaries, distributing USCIS digital and hard copy materials and messages, 

airing PSAs in public access locations, and hosting USCIS for webinars and in-person stakeholder 

engagements. USCIS also signed MOUs with the National Park Service, Institute for Museum and 

Library Services, U.S. Department of Education, and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

• Local Community Outreach – Community Relations Officers (CROs) conducted over 1,800 

naturalization outreach events across the country in close coordination with interagency 

partners and other governmental and non-governmental entities. Public Affairs Officers (PAOs) 

gave over 45 interviews promoting naturalization to more than 30 media outlets, including 

dozens of non-English language interviews. 
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• Outreach to Military Members, Veterans, and their Families – USCIS worked with the 

Department of Defense (DOD) to conduct interviews and citizenship ceremonies via tele-video 

technology. DOD also partnered with the Department of Homeland Security and Department of 

Veterans Affairs on the Immigrant Military Members and Veterans Initiative (IMMVI), creating a 

registration portal for noncitizen military members and veterans and an online resource center 

and information platform. 

• Intergovernmental Outreach – The United States is chairing the 2022-2023 Intergovernmental 

Consultations on Migration, Asylum, and Refugees and has proposed the theme “Strengthening 

Integration and Inclusion Outcomes” in line with Executive Order 14012 and the Interagency 

Strategy. 

• Adult Citizenship Education Trainings – USCIS conducted trainings for educators and program 

administrators working with lawful permanent residents preparing for citizenship through 

naturalization. The trainings were conducted in person and through webinars. Over 1,000 

educators and program administrators have attended the trainings. 

• Adult Citizenship Education Museum Summits – USCIS held two Adult Citizenship Education 

Museum Summits. The museum summits focus on the citizenship education and integration 

opportunities that museums can provide to adult citizenship education programs and their 

students. In November 2021, USCIS conducted a museum summit at the NPS Ellis Island and 

National Museum of Immigration. Participants to the Museum Summit observed an MOU 

signing ceremony between USCIS and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). 

In June, 2022, USCIS conducted a museum summit at the Senator John Heinz Center (Heinz 

History Center) in Pittsburgh, PA. Participants at the event heard remarks from the USCIS Chief 

of Staff Felicia Escobar Carrillo, and observed a special children’s naturalization ceremony. 
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• Citizenship Education Network – USCIS has been engaging with community-based 

organizations, local government offices, and colleges and universities to build a Citizenship 

Education Network (CEN) of organizations who provide, or are interested in providing, adult 

citizenship education classes to lawful permanent residents (LPRs) preparing for naturalization. 

CEN meetings have been held in conjunction with the USCIS Office of Citizenship FY22 adult 

citizenship education training seminars.