A new report by Boundless Immigration found that roughly 9 million immigrants are eligible to become U.S. citizens. With the current average naturalization processing time dropping to under five months, some could potentially gain citizenship in time to vote in the November presidential elections.
The Biden administration has made significant progress in streamlining the naturalization process. By the end of May 2024, the average processing time for citizenship applications had decreased to five months (or less depending on the city), a 15% reduction from the previous year and a more than 50% decline from 2022. This improvement means that eligible green card holders who apply for citizenship in July 2024 could conceivably be approved in time to participate in the presidential election, depending on where they live.
States with highest numbers of legal immigrants
According to the report, California, New York, Texas, and Florida are the states with the largest population of lawful permanent residents eligible to become U.S. citizens. These states account for nearly 60% of all eligible residents, These states account for nearly 60% of all eligible residents, highlighting where voter registration efforts could be most impactful.
USCIS, the federal agency responsible for processing citizenship applications, has made notable progress in reducing its backlog. In 2023, the backlog of citizenship applications fell to 416,034, a 44% decrease from the high of 942,669 in 2020. This is the lowest backlog since 2015, signaling a more efficient processing system.
The report also highlights the potential impact of the upcoming election on immigration policies. While the Biden administration has made naturalization more accessible, a shift in administration could reverse these gains. Former President Donald Trump has already stated his intention to end birthright citizenship and deport millions of undocumented immigrants if re-elected.
