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Naturalization Assistance Bill Passes The Assembly 

Sacramento, CA - Assembly Bill 2060, the New Californians Act, by Assembly member Hector De La Torre (D-South Gate) passed the Assembly floor yesterday with a bipartisan show of support. The act proposes strengthening California's current naturalization services program in order to encourage more permanent resident immigrants to become citizens of the United States.

“Resident immigrants often do not know where to seek assistance to become citizens.  This has resulted in California having one of the lowest naturalization rates in the country – leaving behind the 2.7 million resident immigrants currently eligible for naturalization,” said De La Torre.  “There also needs to be a viable alternative to unscrupulous citizenship vendors in poorer immigrant communities.”

Assembly Bill 2060 would address this urgent need by providing comprehensive services coordinated through a proven collaborative community-based model.  Through coordination and consistency of services, the initiative would ensure that eligible immigrants are able to engage in a process toward citizenship.

The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services allocated $3 million for the Naturalization Services Program in the 2006-2007 budget.  The program has been funded in seven out of the last eight years under both Democratic and Republican governors without a clear legislative mandate.

“Our best investments are made in people,” said De La Torre.  “The New Californians Act will promote new American citizens with a strong understanding of our country's institutions, civic networks and cultural life.”

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