MIAMI – Although there are over 8 million lawful permanent residents (LPR) across the country eligible to become citizens, less than 1 million of them naturalize every year. Starting this Saturday, the Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC) aims to change this dynamic by launching its new Citizenship Program “Florida New Americans” through a training for over 50 long-term volunteers who are committed to transforming lawful permanent residents into active citizens.
Last year, FLIC joined with 11 other grassroots, immigrant rights advocacy organizations to create the National Partnership for New Americans (Partnership) in order to promote and support citizenship.
“We are very excited for the launch our first citizenship program, aiming to promote full integration for Florida’s immigrant communities, concentrating on Haitian and Latino populations. This will be a first step to making their voices count, and in the future become Florida’s new majority,” says Krystina Francois, Florida New Americans Coordinator for the Florida Immigrant Coalition.
On Saturday March 24, the Partnership is launching its ambitious citizenship program, Become a Citizen Now!, to train over 1,000 Citizenship Coaches who can build national capacity over the next year to meet the Partnership’s collective goal of naturalizing 3650 citizens, assist almost 13,000 legal permanent residents, and outreach to almost 73,000 people in 2012.
Citizenship Coaches are volunteers who believe that immigration makes America stronger and will donate their skills and time to help FLIC’s Florida New Americans (FNA) program and the Partnership host successful citizenship clinics across the country. This Saturday’s training will enable coaches to help LPR’s throughout the citizenship process, including completing N-400 applications, legal screening, recruiting and coordinating volunteers, and other event logistics.
This Saturday, March 24th, FLIC will host its first training for Citizenship Coaches at their offices in Miami (2800 Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 800) from 9-11am and from 1-3pm. The coaches will participate in five Citizenship Clinics in South Florida which will be held once a month, starting on Saturday, April 21st. All the information can be soon found in the new website www.flnewamericans.org
The National Partnership is also announcing the launch of a new website, www.becomeacitizennow.org and www.hazteciudadanoahora.org, as a tool to assist eligible legal permanent residents to become citizens.
“The Partnership brings together local energy and volunteer boots on the ground to make a tangible impact nationwide, with real numbers,” said Joshua Hoyt, Co-Chair of the Partnership and Chief Strategic Executive of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. “We have a deep reach into immigrant communities that understands the needs while creating opportunities for them to become citizens and active in their communities.”
