May 3, 2005
Senator Denise Ducheny
Chair, Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 3: Health & Human Services
State Capitol, Room 4081
Sacramento , California 95814
Re: Preserving the Naturalization Services Program
VIA FACSIMILE: 916 327.3522
Dear Senator Ducheny:
On behalf of the Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum, I write to urge you to preserve funding for the Naturalization Services Program, which since its inception, has helped approximately 90,000 immigrants in California in their efforts to become citizens.
Last year, NSP was funded at $1.5 million despite the Governor's initial proposal to eliminate the program. This year, the Governor once again proposes to eliminate all NSP funding in 2005-06.
NSP provides immigrants across the state the support required to pursue citizenship. Nearly one third of all Californians who file applications for citizenship fail to become citizens due to problems with the application, citizenship tests, or much needed follow-up with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). NSP has proven to be successful in assisting immigrants through this process due to the wide range of services offered under the program. In addition, NSP is successful because the services are provided through community–based organizations that have well established ties to the immigrant communities they serve.
Without the essential services provided under NSP, many of California's most vulnerable residents – low-income seniors and families who lack the resources to secure assistance on their own – will be discouraged from navigating the lengthy, bureaucratic, and often confusing citizenship process. California must maintain these critical services to assist immigrants who are actively pursuing the American Dream and to promote greater civic participation.
Maintaining NSP will also maximize federal dollars to California and contribute to the state's economic growth by improving English language skills of the state's workers, facilitating access to employment in higher wage jobs, increasing tax contributions, and providing access to federally funded assistance for naturalized citizens. We urge your support for this important program.
Sincerely,
Ho Luong Tran, M.D., MPH
President and CEO
Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum
CC: Veronika Geronimo, APALC, 213-977-7595
