FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 5, 2023
CONTACT: Melissa Stek, melissa@masadc.com
WASHINGTON, DC – On September 17, Citizenship Day—a day that celebrates those who have become U.S. citizens—Cities & Counties for Citizenship (CC4C) is celebrating its tenth anniversary. From its inception as a group of three cities to a current network of over 110 city and county partners, CC4C has grown to become a major national initiative aimed at increasing citizenship among eligible residents and encouraging cities and counties across the country to invest in immigrant and refugee inclusion programs.
In honor of the ten-year anniversary and to encourage the more than 9 million eligible residents across the United States to naturalize, CC4C is releasing a video and hosting local citizenship events nationwide in participating locations such as San Francisco, CA; San Antonio, TX; Las Vegas, NV; Tulsa, OK; and Kansas City, MO. Events will include press conferences, citizenship workshops, oath ceremonies, and more. The ten-year anniversary video, which features CC4C Executive Committee Mayors and Commissioners from across the country, was released today and is available to view and share here.
CC4C’s Executive Leadership Committee Mayors issued the following statements:
Said Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles: “Los Angeles has been a proud founding and executive committee member of CC4C since its inception in 2014, and we are thrilled to see it enter into its 10th year. Becoming a U.S. citizen is not just a personal achievement, it’s about creating a thriving community. When our neighbors naturalize, they get access to better paying jobs, raising the standard of living for everyone. Home ownership rates increase, businesses flourish, and our economy prospers. As new citizens, they can fully participate in our democracy, empowering their voices through the power of voting. We are excited to see the continuous growth of the CC4C network and see how localities are expanding citizenship with our eligible-to-naturalize community.”
“New York City has been a proud founding and executive committee member of CC4C, and we congratulate the entire network for kicking off its 10th year. Now, more than ever, we need to work to make sure our newest arrivals get the rights they deserve,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “For those who have come here seeking asylum, that means expedited work authorization. There’s nothing more anti-American than not letting people work, and we’re proud to work with CC4C and other advocates to secure these rights. The contributions of all immigrants have made New York City and our entire country a more prosperous place to live. We’re excited to continue our work together with CC4C to help more people become U.S. citizens.”
“As we kick off the 10th year of CC4C, we are excited to see this partnership grow and expand citizenship for our residents,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago. “In the Chicago area alone, over 337,000 residents are eligible for U.S. citizenship today, and this network can help them as they naturalize. In celebration of this important anniversary, we acknowledge and uplift the extraordinary individuals who have chosen to naturalize and become proud U.S. citizens, and the work of localities and organizations across the country that support immigrants on their pathway to citizenship.”
Said Mayor Bruce Harrell of Seattle: “As someone who comes from an immigrant family, I am thrilled to help celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Cities and Counties for Citizenship, CC4C and I am proud that Seattle has joined Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York to serve on CC4C’s Executive Leadership Committee. We are putting into practice our One Seattle vision as a welcoming, inclusive, and equitable city through initiatives like the New Citizen Program, which has helped put more than 9,500 low-income immigrants and refugees on the path to citizenship with free naturalization services. We are excited to continue our work together to help more people naturalize in the coming years.”
Starting next week, the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) will host a three-state tour for the Naturalize NOW! campaign in Las Vegas, Nevada (9/11); Porterville (9/12) and San Bernardino (9/13), California; and Houston, Texas (9/19) to coincide with the celebration of Citizenship Day. The campaign builds on the momentum of record breaking naturalizations in 2022, and will be a central driver of information and resources for immigrant communities as they face naturalization fee increases in the new year.
Recognizing the substantial growth of CC4C’s efforts across the country over the last decade, the network changed its name last year from Cities for Citizenship (C4C) to Cities and Counties for Citizenship (CC4C) and released an accompanying report, Cities and Counties for Citizenship: Five Insights to Advance Naturalization with Local Government. CC4C’s current priorities include promoting the expansion of naturalization, welcoming new arrivals, engaging CC4C partners in the National Partnership for New Americans’ (NPNA) advocacy efforts, and creating shared learning spaces for cities and counties to discuss best practices. Learn more here.
###
Cities & Counties for Citizenship (CC4C) is a national network of over 110 cities and counties working together to advance naturalization and immigrant and refugee inclusion programs at the local level. The network aims at increasing citizenship among eligible U.S. permanent residents and encouraging cities and counties across the country to invest in immigrant and refugee inclusion programs. CC4C is chaired by the Mayors of New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle, with support from the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA).
The National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) is a multi-ethnic, multiracial coalition of 66 of the nation’s largest immigrant and refugee rights organizations with reach across over 40 states. Together with our members, we advance immigrant and refugee equity and inclusion, build and expand immigration legal services and integration programming capacity, and drive campaigns that strengthen democracy through increased civic participation. See our website for more information at partnershipfornewamericans.org