U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the allocation of over $22 million in grants for Citizenship and Integration in the fiscal year 2023. The grants will be distributed to 65 organizations across 29 states to assist lawful permanent residents (LPRs) in preparing for naturalization. This year, the focus is on reaching out to remote, underserved, and vulnerable communities, in line with Executive Order 14012 and the corresponding Interagency Strategy on Promoting Naturalization.

The Citizenship and Integration Grants aim to support organizations in offering citizenship classes and English language education to immigrants. In addition to traditional citizenship programs, this year's grants will also fund innovative methods to help immigrants prepare for naturalization. The grant budget has seen a $5 million increase compared to the previous fiscal year, bringing the program's total allocation to nearly $155 million since its establishment in 2009.

USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou expressed the agency's commitment to promoting naturalization and engaging with remote, underserved, and vulnerable populations. Jaddou stated, "USCIS is committed to making the United States a stronger, more inclusive, and welcoming nation." The Citizenship and Integration Grants program has been in operation for 15 years and has assisted over 300,000 LPRs on their journey to becoming U.S. citizens.

The grants have been awarded through three competitive streams. The Citizenship Instruction and Naturalization Application Services (CINAS) will provide up to $450,000 each to 51 organizations for a period of two years. The Community and Regional Integration Network Grant (CARING) will focus on immigrants who entered under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program or were granted asylum, and one experienced organization will receive up to $300,000. Lastly, the Innovations in Citizenship Preparation Program will award up to $250,000 each to 13 organizations to explore creative approaches for naturalization preparation.