Immigrants' Assistance Center to hold Citizenship Fair Aug. 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced last Friday that it is increasing naturalization application fees from $640 to $1,170 a more than 80% increase as of Oct. 2.

This steep increase in the cost of U.S. citizenship is part of a final rule announced by the Department of Homeland Security that will raise fees for certain immigration and naturalization benefit requests, which the USCIS described as necessary in order to meet operation needs as the agency is fee-funded.

Immigrant advocates immediately decried the fee increases saying they will create roadblocks to the integration of immigrants, especially at a time when non-citizens face particularly devastating job losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The announced increase in immigration fees is very concerning, to say the least. It is a very substantial increase that will make it much more difficult for immigrants to attain their dream of becoming U.S. citizens, said Paulo Pinto, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers. The fees were already very expensive for most immigrants, and the announced increase, added to the current unemployment levels, will severely impact our communities.

Alirio Pereira, Director of Immigrant Integration and Elder Services at MAPS, urged all eligible immigrants to file their citizenship applications prior to the increase.

Even though we expect this decision to be challenged in the courts, it is more important than ever for our community members who are eligible to become U.S. citizens to do so, said Pereira. If youre eligible to start the naturalization process, reach out to MAPS or other local organizations that can help you navigate the process at no cost.

Helena da Silva Hughes, the executive director of the Immigrants Assistance Center, said she would like to hold several citizenship fairs before October to help as many immigrants as possible file their citizenship applications prior to the increase. Due to current Covid-19 restrictions, those citizenship clinics will most likely happen outside in the parking lot with participants wearing facial masks.

We will also do applications everyday, helping as many people as we can, she said. This fee increase is a burden and it will be a huge barrier, especially for our immigrant community because so many of them have lower incomes.

In her view, the rule will prevent many immigrants from seeking and obtaining the right to vote. She questioned whether the increase was intentionally seeking to suppress potential low- and middle-income immigrant voters.

As we know, the majority of our immigrants when they become U.S citizens, they vote at higher rates than natural born citizens, she said. They know the majority of them vote democratic. We have a Republican president and Republican Senate and I really believe they dont want people to become U.S. citizens. I feel its sort of intentional.

The rule removes certain fee exemptions, includes new nominal fees for asylum applicants, and reduces fee waivers to help recover the costs of adjudication.

Several applications for immigration benefits will be impacted by the fee hike. For example, the fee to request a hearing on a decision in naturalization proceedings will increase from $700 to $1,725 (146 percent). The application fee to preserve residence for naturalization purposes will increase from $355 to $1,585 (346 percent).

The USCIS maintains the current fees would leave the agency underfunded by about $1 billion per year.

USCIS is required to examine incoming and outgoing expenditures and make adjustments based on that analysis, said Joseph Edlow, USCIS deputy director for policy in a prepared statement. These overdue adjustments in fees are necessary to efficiently and fairly administer our nations lawful immigration system, secure the homeland and protect Americans.

USCIS officials say the rule accounts for increased costs to adjudicate immigration benefit requests, detect and deter immigration fraud, and thoroughly vet applicants, petitioners and beneficiaries. The rule also supports payroll, technology and operations to accomplish the USCIS mission.

This final rule also encourages online filing by providing a $10 reduction in the fee for applicants who submit forms online that are electronically available from USCIS.

For a full list of changes and a complete table of final fees, see the final rule at https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2020-16389.pdf.

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The Immigrants Assistance Center (IAC) will host a citizenship clinic at its location on 58 Crapo Street, New Bedford on Thursday, Aug. 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Guidance will be offered to anyone seeking help completing a citizenship application, including the first step of screening for eligibility.

At the same time, the IAC is partnering with the City of New Bedfords Complete Count effort to encourage participation in the 2020 Census. Census workers will be available for assistance during this time as well.

The IAC will also be encouraging voter registration for new citizens, with mail-in forms available.

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for safe interaction will be strictly followed. Please wear a mask.

For those unable to attend in person on Aug. 27, the IAC continues to provide phone consultations for many of its services, including citizenship applications. Please call 508-996-8113 to make an appointment.

Whether in phone or in person, the following documents and information are required to begin the citizenship process:

1. Green Card

2. Passport

3. Drivers License or State I.D.

4. Social Security Card

5. Complete addresses where you lived in the past 5 years

6. Spouses information: name, date of birth and date of marriage

5. Previous marriages: name, date of birth, date of marriage and end of marriage

7. Childrens information: name, date of birth, current address, country of birth, a phone number, if applicable

8. A payment of $725.00 payable to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (can be a money order, bank check or personal check).

Excerpt from:

U.S. to raise naturalization application fee by more than 80 percent - Fall River Herald News