Migrant Integration in the United States

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Migrant Integration in the United States
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Integration Activities Traditionally Carried Out
by Non-Profits at Community Level

• Citizenship education has traditionally been
  conducted by places of worship, non-profit
  community groups, and schools
• Federal government and state government
  activities have generally been limited to
  promoting inclusion of civics instruction in
  English as a Second Language (ESL) adult
  education programs

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Immigration Today Demographic Shifts and Growing
Immigration Rates

• Immigrants to the U.S. are settling in new areas
  of the country, including the Southeast, Midwest,
  and the Rocky Mountain regions

• New immigrant destinations have less experience
  with immigrants and may have fewer resources to
  help these newcomers integrate into the community
  through, for example, ESL or citizenship courses

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Office of Citizenship Created to Supplement
Existing ImmigrantIntegration Efforts
Within the Department of Homeland Securitys
Citizenship and Immigration Services, promotes
instruction and training on citizenship rights
and responsibilities and provides immigrants with
information and tools necessary to successfully
integrate into American civic culture.
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Office of Citizenship Works with Nationwide
Integration Network

• In partnership with federal, state, and local
  agencies as well as community-based organizations
  
• 20 Community Liaison Officers are stationed
  throughout the U.S.

Atlanta, GA Burlington, VT Chicago, IL Dallas,
TX Denver, CO
Detroit, MI Houston, TX Los Angeles, CA Laguna
Niguel, CA Miami, FL
New Orleans, LA New York, NY Orlando, FL Phoenix,
AZ Portland, OR
San Antonio, TX San Diego, CA San Francisco,
CA Washington, DC
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Office of Citizenship Products Aim to Promote
Civic Literacy in the Community

• The development of study tools about government
  and history for immigrants and for educators to
  use in the classroom
• Promote an understanding of the civic principles
  on which this nation was founded and which unite
  us no matter our ethnicity or native language
  or religion as Americans

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Information Provided to Lawful Permanent
Residents at Two Key Points

• When they first become permanent residents
• When they are ready and eligible to begin the
  formal naturalization process

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Welcome to the United States
A Guide for New Immigrants
This comprehensive guide contains

• Information to help immigrants settle into
  everyday life in the U.S.
• History and civics information that introduces
  new immigrants to the U.S. system of government.
• Tips on how to get involved in the community
• Rights and responsibilities of lawful permanent
  residents.

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Welcome to the United States focuses on
providing useful information to help immigrants
adapt to day-to-day life in their new
communities.

• Government offices that provide valuable
  services,
• Guides immigrants through the most important
  steps in getting settled finding a place to
  live, enrolling children in schools, opening a
  bank account
• Explains the rights and responsibilities of
  lawful permanent residents in the U.S.

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The Guide introduces the theme of citizenship by
listing

• The benefits of citizenship, for those who may
  want to naturalize in the future
• The steps of the naturalization process

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Effective Dissemination Ensuring that the Guide
Gets to Those Who Need it

• The Guide is sent to community-based
  organizations, places of worship, state and local
  governments, providers of ESL classes, and other
  groups that directly interface with newly arrived
  immigrants.

• Distribution is promoted by a public service
  marketing campaign for ethnic radio and ethnic
  newspapers.
• Local versions of the Guide are also produced by
  community groups around the U.S. This way, more
  community-specific settlement information is
  provided to immigrants.

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Multiple Languages
The Guide is being translated into languages most
commonly spoken by immigrants

• Hard copies are currently available in English
  and Spanish
• Versions in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and
  traditional Chinese can be accessed for free at
  http//uscis.gov

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Multiple Languages
Free online versions of the Guide will soon be
available, at http//uscis.gov, in

• Arabic
• French
• Portuguese
• Haitian Creole

• Russian
• Tagalog
• Korean

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Products for permanent residents preparing to
naturalize
Civics Flash Cards
Contain sample U.S. history and government
questions

• an instruction tool to help immigrants prepare
  for the naturalization exam
• Brief civics lessons related to each flash card
  will also be available online

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Civics Flash Cards
The Civics Flash Cards are currently available at
http//www.uscis.gov in Adobe PDF format and an
online interactive version.

• The Office of Citizenship provides instructions
  on how to print the Civics Flash Cards and use
  them as a study tool.
• The online interactive version allows immigrants
  to view the questions online and answer at his or
  her own pace.

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From Permanent Resident to Citizen

• Each year the U.S. welcomes hundreds of thousands
  of new citizens through our naturalization
  process. To formally become a citizen, an
  immigrant must demonstrate English proficiency
  and knowledge of U.S. civics and history
• From 1994 to 2003 more than 6 million immigrants
  became U.S. citizens
• With continuing high rates of immigration, the
  Offices development of education materials and
  work with existing integration networks will be
  of continued importance in coming years.

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Office of Citizenship
Celebrate Citizenship, Celebrate America
Visit us on the web at http//www.uscis.gov/graph
ics/citizenship/index.htm