But now we need to stay vigilant and commit ourselves to making more progress. For instance, the backlog at INS has to be addressed. Across the country, 1.7 million immigrants are waiting up to four years to naturalize. In New York City, the number of people caught in the backlog has increased to almost 300,000 and the average wait is 24 months. That's just unfair to the vast majority of immigrants who have paid their fee and played by the rules.
Immigrants deserve a naturalization process that is fair, efficient and affordable.
INS, which is trying to raise its naturalization fees, should not be allowed to do so until it redesigns its process so that it takes no more than six months from application to oath. When we address this serious problem, we'll begin to reaffirm the true heritage of the United States and secure our future, for Americans and future Americans throughout the world.