Joe Biden is kicking off his first Fourth of July as president with a campaign to make it easier for immigrants to become citizens.
The president signed an executive order this weekend asking federal agencies to devise “welcoming strategies that promote integration, inclusion, and citizenship.”
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services also announced Friday a plan for “breaking down barriers to U.S. citizenship” and promote naturalization for eligible immigrants. It also eliminates many naturalization rules the Trump administration enacted.
“New citizens, strengthened with the power and responsibilities that American citizenship brings, make our Nation better. This strategy will ensure that aspiring citizens are able to pursue naturalization through a clear and coordinated process,” Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said.
Democrats in Congress are also advocating two pieces of legislation, the American Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which would create a pathway to citizenship for some 11 million immigrants.
