Washington.- The federal government is processing citizenship applications at its fastest pace in a decade as it moves quickly through a backlog that built up during the Trump administration and the coronavirus pandemic.
In ceremonies held at courthouses, convention centers and sports arenas across the country, thousands of immigrants are becoming new Americans every week — and becoming eligible to vote in time for this fall’s presidential election.
It is not known how many of the new voters live in crucial states, although a number of states that Kamala Harris or Donald Trump could win would be due to the significant and growing numbers of naturalized citizens of voting age, including Georgia, Arizona, Nevada and Pennsylvania.
In Savannah, Georgia, people from 19 countries packed a federal courthouse recently to take their oath of allegiance.
Generally, permanent residents who are legally in the country, known as green card holders, are eligible to become naturalized citizens if they have had that status for at least five years, or have been married to a U.S. citizen for at least three years.
Green card holders have many of the same rights as citizens.
Although voting in federal elections is a right granted only to citizens.
And that can be a powerful motivation to obtain citizenship, especially when there are important national elections.
Naturalization applications typically increase as an election approaches.
“The surge in naturalization efficiency is not just about clearing backlogs, but about a potential shift in the electorate months before a crucial election,” said Xiao Wang, chief executive of Boundless, a company that uses government data to analyze immigration trends and offers services to immigrants seeking professional help navigating the application process.
“Each citizenship application could be a vote that decides a seat in the Senate or even the presidency of the country,” Wang said.
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