There are many advantages to becoming a U.S. citizen—including helping family members immigrate to the United States, traveling with a U.S. passport, and voting in U.S. elections. Millions of lawful permanent residents are eligible to naturalize but need support to take the important step of becoming a U.S. citizen.
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) provides critical support to organizations helping immigrants navigate the naturalization process. We provide trainings and technical assistance, publish the top practitioner’s guide, Naturalization and U.S. Citizenship: The Essential Legal Guide, engage in federal and local advocacy. Through the national New Americans Campaign, we also develop and disseminate best practices in providing access to naturalization services.
Latest Resources
FAQs & Explainers
Resources
Publication Date
09/08/2023
In December 2022 USCIS announced that it was starting a pilot project to redesign the English/civics test for naturalization. If the pilot test is adopted, applicants will face a more difficult English/civics exam. This community explainer breaks down some of those challenges, and how advocates can push for a more inclusive process of naturalization.
FAQs & Explainers
Resources
Publication Date
07/11/2023
This quick guide shares how to check your Selective Service registration status. For various applications with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), providing proof of registration with the Selective Service System is a vital part of qualifying for immigration relief. Learn more with this step-by-step guide.
FAQs & Explainers
Resources
Publication Date
07/11/2023
This FAQ provides an update on immigration application filing fee changes that were recently proposed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Public Comments / Sign-on Letters
Resources
Publication Date
06/16/2023
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center submitted this letter on June 16, 2023, to thank USCIS for the many changes that have already been made to the USCIS Policy Manual and to provide further recommendations for changes to the Policy Manual that USCIS can immediately implement to increase access to immigration benefits and reduce backlogs. The letter provides suggestions that include ongoing recommendations from prior letters and engagements as well as new ones.
Public Comments / Sign-on Letters
Resources
Publication Date
06/20/2023
On June 20, 2023, the ILRC submitted a comment to USCIS regarding the proposed changes to From N-400, Application for Naturalization. ILRC commended the agency for a number of positive changes that streamlined and shortened the form. ILRC also made several suggestions to USCIS to clarify and narrow the information required from applicants to ensure that only relevant information is collected on the form.
Public Comments / Sign-on Letters
Public Comments / Sign-on Letters
Resources
Publication Date
03/08/2023
On March 8, ILRC provided comments on the USCIS proposed fee rule. In the comment, ILRC commended agency actions codifying fee exemptions. Additionally, ILRC requested that USCIS codify fee waiver eligibility standards and raise the income threshold for fee waivers. We also requested that fee increases be reduced for applications for lawful permanent residence, work authorization and family petitions, among others. Finally, the comment provides requested changes to various USCIS forms that are open for comment in conjunction with the proposed fee rule.
FAQs & Explainers
Resources
Publication Date
01/20/2023
On December 9, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that they will automatically extend the validity of Permanent Resident Cards—also known as green cards—for those who apply for naturalization on or after December 12, 2022. This FAQ covers what the changes mean, how the implementation works, and more.
Practice Advisory
Resources
Publication Date
01/05/2023
Federal Rulemaking is one of the most direct ways that the public can participate and shape policies and practices of executive agencies. Federal regulations govern the executive agencies charged with enforcing the United States’ immigration laws and granting immigration benefits to eligible applicants. However, the process of Federal Rulemaking is often misunderstood and public participation in the process is under-utilized. This practice advisory provides an overview of the federal regulatory and rulemaking process as well as the authorities that govern this process as well as a guide to commenting on proposed rules and practical tips for navigating the resources available to the public.
Practice Advisory
Resources
Publication Date
11/03/2022
This alert describes recent changes to the naturalization disability waiver. On October 19, 2022, USCIS announced major revisions to the Form N-648, which is used by naturalization applicants who seek a waiver of the English and/or civics requirement based on a disability or impairment that causes the applicant to be unable to learn or demonstrate knowledge of English and/or civics. USCIS also published major changes to the accompanying USCIS Policy Manual guidance.
Public Comments / Sign-on Letters
Resources
Publication Date
10/26/2022
New Americans Campaign
A project of the ILRC, the New Americans Campaign is a nonpartisan, groundbreaking national network of legal-service providers, faith-based organizations, businesses, foundations and community leaders that is paving a better road to citizenship.
Related Products
Webinar
Webinar
Naturalization for Persons with Disabilities: This webinar will cover the 2022 changes to the naturalization disability form N-648 and the USCIS Policy Manual. Speakers will describe the exemptions from the English and Civics naturalization requirements, eligibility for the disability exemption, restrictions added in 2018 and 2020 to the USCIS Policy Manual, and USCIS changes in October 2022. The statutory background and USCIS Policy Manual on oath waivers will also be covered.
Webinar
Webinar
Level: Advanced
This advanced webinar will discuss the criteria for automatically deriving citizenship from a U.S. citizen parent under both the Child Citizenship Act as well as former INA 321. Using examples and the ILRC’s derivation chart, we will explain how to analyze the legal requirements in determining eligibility for derivation of citizenship, including for children born out of wedlock and for children whose parents separated.
Presenters
Eric Cohen
Eric Cohen has been with the ILRC since 1988, and has been its Executive Director since 2007. He has extensive experience training attorneys, paralegals, community advocates, and organizers on a variety of immigration law, immigrants’ rights, and leadership development topics. Eric is a national expert on naturalization and citizenship law and is the primary author of the ILRC’s manual entitled, Naturalization and U.S. Citizenship: The Essential Legal Guide. Eric helped develop ILRC's community model for naturalization workshops. Additionally, Eric has worked on voter outreach and education programs for naturalized citizens.
Prior to working at the ILRC, Eric worked with the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, Labor Immigrant Assistance Project where he worked on legalization and union organizing campaigns.
Eric obtained a B.A. degree in History from Colorado College and a J.D. degree from Stanford Law School. He is conversant in Spanish and is a member of the State Bar of California.
Alison Kamhi
Alison Kamhi is the Legal Program Director based in San Francisco. Alison is a dedicated immigrant advocate who brings significant experience in immigration law to the ILRC. Alison leads the ILRC's Immigrant Survivors Team and conducts frequent in-person and webinar trainings on naturalization and citizenship, family-based immigration, U visas, and FOIA requests. She also provides technical assistance through the ILRC’s Attorney of the Day program on a wide range of immigration issues, including immigration options for youth, consequences of criminal convictions for immigration purposes, removal defense strategy, and eligibility for immigration relief, including family-based immigration, U visas, VAWA, DACA, cancellation of removal, asylum, and naturalization.
She has co-authored a number of publications, including The U Visa: Obtaining Status for Immigrant Victims of Crimes (ILRC); FOIA Requests and Other Background Checks (ILRC); Naturalization and U.S. Citizenship (ILRC); Hardship in Immigration Law (ILRC); Parole in Immigration Law (ILRC); Special Immigrant Juvenile Status and Other Immigration Options for Children and Youth (ILRC); A Guide for Immigrant Advocates (ILRC); and Most In Need But Least Served: Legal and Practical Barriers to Special Immigrant Juvenile Status for Federally Detained Minors, 50 Fam. Ct. Rev. 4 (2012).
Alison facilitates the eight member Collaborative Resources for Immigrant Services on the Peninsula (CRISP) collaborative in San Mateo County to provide immigration services to low-income immigrants in Silicon Valley.
Prior to the ILRC, Alison worked as a Clinical Teaching Fellow at the Stanford Law School Immigrants' Rights Clinic, where she supervised removal defense cases and immigrants' rights advocacy projects. Before Stanford, she represented abandoned and abused immigrant youth as a Skadden Fellow at Bay Area Legal Aid and at Catholic Charities Community Services in New York. While in law school, Alison worked at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project, and Greater Boston Legal Services Immigration Unit. After law school, she clerked for the Honorable Julia Gibbons in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Alison received her J.D. from Harvard Law School and her B.A. from Stanford University. Alison is admitted to the bar in California and New York. She speaks German and Spanish.
This advanced webinar will discuss the criteria for automatically deriving citizenship from a U.S. citizen parent under both the Child Citizenship Act as well as former INA 321. Using examples and the ILRC’s derivation chart, we will explain how to analyze the legal requirements in determining eligibility for derivation of citizenship, including for children born out of wedlock and for children whose parents separated.
Presenters
Eric Cohen
Eric Cohen has been with the ILRC since 1988, and has been its Executive Director since 2007. He has extensive experience training attorneys, paralegals, community advocates, and organizers on a variety of immigration law, immigrants’ rights, and leadership development topics. Eric is a national expert on naturalization and citizenship law and is the primary author of the ILRC’s manual entitled, Naturalization and U.S. Citizenship: The Essential Legal Guide. Eric helped develop ILRC's community model for naturalization workshops. Additionally, Eric has worked on voter outreach and education programs for naturalized citizens.
Prior to working at the ILRC, Eric worked with the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, Labor Immigrant Assistance Project where he worked on legalization and union organizing campaigns.
Eric obtained a B.A. degree in History from Colorado College and a J.D. degree from Stanford Law School. He is conversant in Spanish and is a member of the State Bar of California.
Alison Kamhi
Alison Kamhi is the Legal Program Director based in San Francisco. Alison is a dedicated immigrant advocate who brings significant experience in immigration law to the ILRC. Alison leads the ILRC's Immigrant Survivors Team and conducts frequent in-person and webinar trainings on naturalization and citizenship, family-based immigration, U visas, and FOIA requests. She also provides technical assistance through the ILRC’s Attorney of the Day program on a wide range of immigration issues, including immigration options for youth, consequences of criminal convictions for immigration purposes, removal defense strategy, and eligibility for immigration relief, including family-based immigration, U visas, VAWA, DACA, cancellation of removal, asylum, and naturalization.
She has co-authored a number of publications, including The U Visa: Obtaining Status for Immigrant Victims of Crimes (ILRC); FOIA Requests and Other Background Checks (ILRC); Naturalization and U.S. Citizenship (ILRC); Hardship in Immigration Law (ILRC); Parole in Immigration Law (ILRC); Special Immigrant Juvenile Status and Other Immigration Options for Children and Youth (ILRC); A Guide for Immigrant Advocates (ILRC); and Most In Need But Least Served: Legal and Practical Barriers to Special Immigrant Juvenile Status for Federally Detained Minors, 50 Fam. Ct. Rev. 4 (2012).
Alison facilitates the eight member Collaborative Resources for Immigrant Services on the Peninsula (CRISP) collaborative in San Mateo County to provide immigration services to low-income immigrants in Silicon Valley.
Prior to the ILRC, Alison worked as a Clinical Teaching Fellow at the Stanford Law School Immigrants' Rights Clinic, where she supervised removal defense cases and immigrants' rights advocacy projects. Before Stanford, she represented abandoned and abused immigrant youth as a Skadden Fellow at Bay Area Legal Aid and at Catholic Charities Community Services in New York. While in law school, Alison worked at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project, and Greater Boston Legal Services Immigration Unit. After law school, she clerked for the Honorable Julia Gibbons in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Alison received her J.D. from Harvard Law School and her B.A. from Stanford University. Alison is admitted to the bar in California and New York. She speaks German and Spanish.
Webinar
Webinar
This webinar will review the basics of naturalization. We will discuss the following requirements for applying for naturalization: age, lawful permanent residence, including abandonment of residence, continuous residence, physical presence, good moral character, English and civics, and the oath of allegiance. We will include many examples in this interactive webinar. This webinar is for beginners and those who want a naturalization basics refresher course.
Publication
Publication
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center continues to write and publish the most accessible and comprehensive guide on citizenship and naturalization in the country. This indispensable guide addresses the entire process of representing a naturalization applicant from the initial client meeting through the oath of allegiance. Included in this guide are sample forms, practice guides and tips, and many other critical tools for private attorneys, nonprofit practitioners, pro bono law firms, and other providers working with community-based organizations. One of the strengths of this resource is that it is very easy to read and understand for lawyers, community advocates, paralegals, community and labor organizers, and teachers.
Webinar
Webinar
The presenters will describe the current status of court injunctions impacting USCIS’s efforts to change the fee schedule and fee waiver standards in 2020. The webinar will review the current regulations that USCIS must apply on fee waivers and fees.
Webinar
Webinar
This webinar will address adjudication trends in naturalization cases, including screening and strategy considerations for any issues in how the applicant obtained their green card.