Celebrating 10 Years of Impact
Over the years, Cities & Counties for Citizenship (CC4C) has made tremendous strides in building a network of U.S. mayors and County Executives promoting and expanding citizenship. Read more about CC4C progress below.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks to newly naturalized citizens at a local citizenship ceremony
Cities for Citizenship: 2014
Cities & Counties for Citizenship (CC4C) officially launches in September of 2014 together with the founding cities of New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles; the national organizations of National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) and Center for Popular Democracy (CPD); and, the founding corporate partner, Citi Community Development.
Cities & Counties for Citizenship establishes itself as a major national initiative aimed at increasing citizenship among eligible lawful permanent residents and encouraging cities across the country to invest in citizenship programs.
The first CC4C report, Citizenship: A Wise Investment for Cities, is released.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti promotes citizenship at a children’s naturalization ceremony
Chicago’s former Mayor Rahm Emanuel speaks at an oath ceremony in Chicago’s City Hall
Naturalized citizens from across the world take their oath at a local oath ceremony
Citizen applicants in San Francisco receive free assistance at a local citizenship workshop in June of 2015
CITIES FOR CITIZENSHIP: 2015
Cities & Counties for Citizenship (CC4C) quickly grows to a network of 21 cities and counties!
Cities and counties lead efforts to stand up “citizenship corners” in local libraries, host oath ceremonies, provide financial empowerment services, create “Offices of New Americans” and/or “Offices of Immigrant Affairs”, and partner with community-based organizations to provide support at local citizenship workshops.
The Urban Institute together with the Citi Community Development and the NYC’s Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs releases the report, The Economic Impact of Naturalization on Immigrants and Cities.
The City of Baltimore hosts a naturalization ceremony with former Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake in 2015
The City of Atlanta establishes citizenship resource center in their local library
NYCitizenship provides free legal and financial literacy assistance to citizenship applicants
Boston Mayor Walsh launches Immigrant Information Corners at the Boston Public Library's Central Library in Copley Square and 24 neighborhoods
CITIES FOR CITIZENSHIP: 2016
Cities & Counties for Citizenship (CC4C) expands to a network of 27 cities and counties, and hosts the 1st Annual Cities & Counties for Citizenship Municipal Gathering in Nashville, Tennessee with over 75 participants from over 40 cities and counties, prior to NPNA’s National Immigrant Integration Conference.
CC4C releases the 2016 CC4C Impact Report which highlights the CC4C member survey conducted to assess impact, discovering that over 14,000 individuals pursued citizenship and/or initiated the citizenship process; 10,500+ received legal assistance or referrals; 8,500+ individuals attended financial empowerment classes; 1,400+ individuals participated in one-on-one financial coaching sessions; and 19,500+ individuals received information on the fee waiver, financial counseling, and/or citizenship micro-loan assistance through the CC4C network. Over 970,000 people applied for citizenship in 2016 which represented a 24 percent increase in citizenship applications compared to the previous year.
CC4C releases the CC4C Toolkit: 10 Strategies to Launch & Strengthen Citizenship Initiatives to share members’ best practices and to support the network in launching new citizenship efforts.
Bob Annibale, the Global Director of Community Development and Inclusive Finance, and Nisha Argarwal, former NYC Commissioner for the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, co-author the op-ed, Why Cities Should Invest in Citizenship: Helping Immigrants Achieve Citizenship Yields Major Returns - and It’s the Right Thing to Do.
Seattle’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs’ (OIRA) New Citizen Program welcomed 19 new Americans at a Flag Day Naturalization Ceremony at Seattle City Hall. (Photo credit: Alabastro Photography)
The City of Philadelphia hosted an oath ceremony at a Philadelphia Phillies baseball game
CC4C cities and counties host and support large-scale citizenship workshops across the country, together with local organizations. (Photo credit: Alabastro Photography)
CIties for citizenship: 2017
Cities & Counties for Citizenship (CC4C) continues to expand, reaching 41 cities and counties by the end of the year!
CC4C hosts the 2nd Annual Cities & Counties for Citizenship Municipal Gathering in Phoenix, Arizona with nearly 100 participants from over 50 cities and counties.
CC4C releases the report, the Naturalization Policy & Program Menu 2017-2018, sharing citizenship strategies and practices from across the network. Also, CC4C is featured in the article, The Heartland Wants New Americans; and in the op-ed, Why U.S. Cities Are Fighting to Attract Immigrants.
A South Asian woman holds an American flag during a naturalization ceremony in Indianapolis. (Michael Conroy/AP)
Fatoumata Jangana, center, stands for the National Anthem as her daughter fixes a miniature flag onto her hijab, during U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services ceremony for new citizens. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
In June 2018, Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles announces the CC4C America is Home Initiative at the US Conference of Mayors in Boston, Massachusetts
cities for citizenship: 2018
Cities & Counties for Citizenship (CC4C) has a dynamic year, nearly doubling in size, expanding to 74 cities and counties, and hosts the 3rd Annual CC4C Annual Municipal Gathering in Arlington, Virginia.
CC4C launches the CC4C America is Home Initiative, a four-year, $5 million challenge grant program to help municipalities and community partners encourage U.S. citizenship among eligible immigrants and increase naturalization application rates. The first CC4C America is Home cohort consists of 14 organizations working across 16 cities and counties. Learn more about the CC4C America is Home Program here.
CC4C releases the report, America is Home: How Individuals, Families, Cities & Counties Benefit by Investing In Citizenship.
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller participates in a local citizenship workshop together with local organization and CC4C America is Home partner, El Centro de Igualdad y Derechos
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett speaks at the 2nd Annual Citizenship Ceremony together with local organization and CC4C America is Home partner, Voces de la Frontera
Chair of Arlington County Board, Christian Dorsey, welcomes attendees at the Cities & Counties for Citizenship (CC4C) Municipal Gathering, and announces that Arlington County will join the CC4C network
Nashville Mayor Briley assists an applicant with her citizenship application at a local citizenship workshop hosted by the with the CC4C America is Home partner, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC)
cities for Citizenship: 2019
Cities & Counties for Citizenship (CC4C) celebrates its 5th year anniversary, and grows to a network of 86 cities and counties!
Throughout September, CC4C celebrates 5 years with over 30 local citizenship events across the country and elevating the impact of the CC4C over five years.
Since 2014, CC4C network has reached 1,788,778 people who attended citizenship-related programming; 48,283 people who initiated the citizenship process / applied for citizenship; 42,463 people who received financial information (waiver, counseling, micro-loan assistance); and 30,079 assisted with financial empowerment services. In 2019, CC4C will host the 4th Annual CC4C Municipal Gathering in Detroit, Michigan. CC4C looks ahead to 2020 with a goal of expanding to 100 cities and counties!
Clairmene, a native of Haiti, arrived with her daughter at a local citizenship workshop in Indianapolis. Through the assistance of pro-bono immigration attorneys with the CC4C America is Home partner, Immigrant Welcome Center, Clairmene was able to complete the N-400 application.
“I am the only non-US citizen in my family. Today that’s going to change,” said Clairmene
Maria had been a resident for over 20 years and felt that now, more than ever, it was time for her to become a U.S. citizen. CC4C America is Home partner, the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama (HICA), assisted her through the whole process which took approximately 9 months.
“Becoming a U.S. citizen has changed my life in so many ways and I am so grateful for HICA helping me through the process. I finally feel empowered! I am more than excited and committed to voting in the next presidential elections in 2020”
Dhia, client of CC4C America is Home partner, Kentucky Refugee Ministries (KRM), was born in Iraq but is of Palestinian descent and does not have Iraqi citizenship. He explained that his father, who lives in Iraq, is still without nationality. His brother died without having any citizenship.
“This is important to me because I want to be an American, I want to have a passport, I want to have a country wherever I go,” Dhia said.
On October 8, 2020 the City of Tulsa welcomed 50 new U.S. Citizens after a drive-in oath ceremony at Admiral Twin.
cities for Citizenship: 2020
For all of us, 2020 was a year filled with unprecedented times and major challenges. Growing to a number of 99 Cities and Counties, partners led various COVID-19 Economic Relief initiatives including emergency relief funds, loan and grant opportunity, technical assistance, COVD-19 vaccine access, housing and rental assistance and more. Read more about these efforts in the LOCAL & STATE ECONOMIC RECOVERY & EQUITY TOOLKIT released Fall 2020 that elevates the work of cities and counties responding to the range of economic, housing, and health needs, amongst others.
In addition to creating and supporting Economic Relief initiatives, cities and counties also had to get creative when providing naturalization services in the era of COVID-19. Cities and counties hosted drive-in and parking lot Naturalization Oath Ceremonies and hosted virtual naturalization assistance workshops via zoom.
Unable to gather in person this year, the network celebrated its first ever Cities for Citizenship (C4C) Virtual Municipal Gathering with over 120 leaders participating and 29 featured speakers. Together municipalities and organizations came together to discuss topics such as citizenship strategies and services in the era of COVID-19, economic relief and recovery programs for immigrant communities and small businesses, post-election immigrant integration and inclusion, strategies for preserving immigrant-focused programs in light of COVID-19 budget impacts.
Lastly, the network also released the 2020 Report: Priced Out of Citizenship: Municipal Strategies to Reduce the Financial Barriers to U.S. Citizenship in Light of New Fee Increases. Naturalization fees were on the edge of being increased and municipalities and organizations provided opportunities to reduce financial barriers in light of USCIS application fee increases
City of Seattle OIRA team at the Rainier Beach #COVID19 Vaccination Hub
cities for Citizenship: 2021
In 2021, with C4C growing to 102 cities and counties, municipalities continued to provide support to families during the pandemic by making COVID-19 vaccine accessible to communities in their cities and counties. Many municipalities also lead major initiatives in making covid resources available in various languages.
Additionally, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was passed in 2021and cities and counties continued to play a big role in making sure resources are invested in their localities. As communities are struggling to rebuild, we continue to encourage municipalities to invest in their hardest hit communities.
2021 slowly brought back in person convenings and during the National Immigrant Integration Conference (NIIC), the C4C network convened the 6th Annual C4C Municipal Gathering that brought together 63 municipal leaders representing 51 cities and counties ranging geographically from California to Maine. The gathering focused on the discussion of naturalization, language access, economic recovery, universal representation, legalization preparedness and refugee resettlement.
Commissioner Manuel Castro, NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs during the Naturalize 2 Million by 2022 Tour stop in New York City
cities & counties for citizenship: 2022
In 2022, the network went through a rebrand from Cities for Citizenship (C4C) to Cities and Counties for Citizenship (CC4C) in recognition of the county partners that form CC4C. Additionally, CC4C released a report to accompany the rebrand, Cities and Counties for Citizenship: Five Insights to Advance Naturalization with Local Government that elevates the latest work of cities and counties around citizenship. Also, 2022 brought an increase in new arrivals to CC4C cities and counties, which activated the vital role that local governments and Offices of New Americans play in welcoming, receiving and resettling new arrivals. CC4C partners, including New York City, Chicago, Washington DC, and Denver were central in the welcoming response work, sharing strategies, lessons learned and collective advocacy needed in order to effectively meet the needs of newcomers. CC4C, together with NPNA and We Are All America, released this Always Welcome Toolkit to support welcoming work.
In addition, CC4C cities & counties participated in NPNA’s Naturalize 2 Million by 2022 campaign where CC4C partners in Los Angeles, San Antonio, Austin, Milwaukee, Chicago, Montgomery County, New York City held in person and virtual press conferences encouraging eligible immigrants to naturalize. Engagement of in person events was coordinated with CC4C Mayors Eric Garcetti (Los Angeles), Robert Garcia (Long Beach), City Council Women Ana Sandoval & Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia (San Antonio), Commissioner Castro (New York City), Mayor Bruce Harrell (Seattle), County Executive Dow Constantin . Along with Op Eds to uplift the Natuzalize 2 Million by 2022 tour and call for naturalization by Mayor Sylvester Turner (Houston) and Judge Ricardo Samaniego (El Paso County).
Lastly, CC4C held its 7th annual in-person gathering as a rebranded network during the first day of the National Immigrant Inclusion Conference (NIIC) in December 2022 in National Harbor, MD. The gathering brought together over 120 people from local and state governments, organizations and leaders from various sectors to build relationships, discuss strategies, and share best practices for improving the political, civic, and economic inclusion of immigrants and refugees. The gathering featured speakers that included Felicia Escobar Carrillo, Chief of Staff, Office of the Director, USCIS and Eva Millona, Chief of the USCIS Office of Citizenship, Partnership, and Engagement (OCPE) and Samuel U. Iwu, Director, Multicultural Affairs, Office of the County Executive, Prince George County, Maryland. Additionally, participants spent time diving deeper into discussions around specific topics including Launching & Expanding Citizenship and Immigrant Inclusion Programs at the Local Levels; Welcoming Newcomers: Building Solutions for Local Governments; Advancing Campaigns and Resources for Universal Representation and Legal Services; and Standing up and Sustaining Offices Dedicated to Immigrants & Refugees.
Cities & Counties for Citizenship: 2023
September 2023 kicks off the 10th Year Anniversary of Cities & Counties for Citizenship with over 110 cities & counties celebrating the impact of a growing network that is advancing citizenship with local governments. In honor of the ten-year anniversary, CC4C released a video of CC4C Mayors and Commissioners congratulating CC4C on its momentous milestone representing a decade of unwavering commitment to championing citizenship, fostering immigrant inclusion, and creating vibrant, prosperous communities nationwide. In addition, many CC4C partners from coast to coast will be hosting local events nationwide. Events include press conferences, citizenship workshops, oath ceremonies, and more.
Link to the CC4C 10th Anniversary Digital Toolkit
Cities & Counties for Citizenship: 2024 - Celebrating a Decade of Impact
As CC4C continues to celebrate its 10th Year Anniversary, we’re proud to reflect on the accomplishments of the network. Together, our diligent work has brought ambitious and innovative visions to the imperative role cities and counties play in welcoming and supporting immigrants and refugees – and has created a long-lasting, multigenerational impact for U.S. lawful permanent residents obtaining citizenship or moving toward naturalization through CC4C’s strategic programs.
Including our Naturalize Now Houston Initiative which celebrates its one year anniversary this September 2024. Naturalize Now, Houston! is a public-private partnership that aims to help 300,000 eligible Houstonians apply for U.S. Citizenship. NPNA, City of Houston, Harris County, and Citizenship Community Navigators at community-based organizations assist lawful permanent residents across the greater Houston area in accessing quality and affordable immigration legal services, help complete the naturalization application, and study for the citizenship exam.
We are entering the second year of the Naturalize Now, Houston! initiative and are pleased to share the: Naturalize Now: How to Increase Naturalization in Your Community Case Study with accomplishments, challenges, and recommendations, encouraging other localities to replicate the effort. See how Naturalize Now, Houston! Is making an impact and succeeding throughout the Greater Houston ecosystem, and particularly with policymakers. We hope that this case study will be a valuable tool for your locality.