Naturalize Now! New campaign to increase naturalization

In this new ad campaign video, we hear the hateful anti-immigrant rhetoric of Donald Trump, overlaid with visuals of the faces of Latinos in the United States, including former astronaut José M. Hernández, who is a first generation American. His parents are from Michoacán, Mexico.

Latino Victory Foundation and National Partnership for New Americans Launch the New American Democracy Campaign to Increase Naturalization and Mobilize Immigrant Voters

The NADC’s mission is to increase the naturalization rate, and register and mobilize millions of voters, with the goal of increasing naturalization by 38 percent to 1 million in 2016. Currently, there are 8.8 million legal permanent residents who are eligible to apply for citizenship but don’t do so because they don’t have the resources—financial or other—to do so, don’t understand the process, or are scared.

The New Americans Democracy Campaign is supporting a national goal of raising the number of naturalizations next year by 38% to 1,000,000 new citizens. The NADC field will engage 750,000 immigrants and assist 98,000 with their naturalization applications. In addition the NADC will engage and assist 45,400 new Americans with their voter registrations.

If we add the 8.8 million residents who are eligible to naturalize to the 1.9 million U.S. citizen children of immigrants who are eligible to vote, and an additional 11.5 million Latino voters who do not turn out to vote, this would add a significant number of voters to the electorate. If only 20 percent of these potential voters naturalize and vote, 4.4 million Latino and immigrant voters’ voices would be heard at election time.

The ad:

Cristóbal J. Alex, President of Latino Victory Foundation said, “Our community is under attack and our future is at stake. Now more than ever it’s important that those who are able to naturalize do so and make their voices heard at the polls. Research shows that newly naturalized Latino respondents have a high propensity to vote—67 percent voted at least once and 84 percent registered to vote. NADC will work to reach and engage 750,000 immigrants eligible to naturalize. We will provide resources and education and turn some of these 8.8 million citizenship eligible lawful permanent residents into active citizens and participants in our democracy.”

“Latinos and all immigrants need to use all of their power to defend their communities in this toxic political moment. That means naturalizing, registering and turning out to vote. The time is now,” said Joshua Hoyt, executive director of the National Partnership for New Americans.

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