Los Angeles, May 27
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has launched a campaign emphasising the benefits of being a US citizen with the goal of convincing more than 7 million Green Card holders to become naturalised.

“It's very important for people who are already permanent residents to consider citizenship for all the benefits that will bring them,” Mariana Gitomer, the USCIS spokesperson in Los Angeles said.

According to the government's database, there are about 12.5 million permanent residents in the US, of whom 7.9 million are already eligible to get US citizenship, majority of them being Hispanics. In California alone, there are approximately 3 million persons who obtained Green Cards more than five years ago.

“There are many reasons why people don't become citizens, some people don't know the benefits and feel that if they already have a residence card they can work, they can travel, then they feel they don't need citizenship,” said Gitomer.

“But citizenship gives them the benefit of voting, obtaining a US passport to travel without restrictions, obtain better jobs,” she said, citing studies that show that people who become citizens began to earn more money.

The Citizen Public Education and Awareness Initiative will include radio and television advertisements, written press and Internet dissemination nationwide.

The messages will be broadcast in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese and English with special emphasis on the cities of Los Angeles and New York, and also on the states of Florida and Texas, where there are high numbers of permanent residents.

“The campaign will last for three years and the funds, which amount to $11 million, are coming from an allocation made by the federal Congress in fiscal year 2010,” Gitomer said. — IANS/EFE