US Citizenship applications have surged since the election

[Cathi 5,771]

My husband is one of those people who waited to send in his naturalization application because no one, at least where we live, ever though Hillary would lose. USCIS has not released data since June 2016, but applications surged by 25% between October 2015-June 2016 over the previous year. The election has had a direct impact on Loyola Law School's Immigrant Justice Clinic, flooding their office with requests. The community based immigration service helps immigrants with the citizenship and naturalization process. A representative says that requests for help have tripled since the election, and that is only the people that they can answer the phone for. There are people they just can't meet with because of the high demand.

Good luck to everyone who has sent their applications in recently, hopefully there won't be long delays. I know personally know three people who have applied for naturalization in 2016 and all of them received their oath fairly quickly. One of the people applied in May of 2016 and was sworn in 87 days later in Columbus Ohio. That's fast!

The link below is an article from CNN about the surge in applications
http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/07/politics/citizenship-surge-after-donald-trump-election/index.html?sr=twCNN120816citizenship-surge-after-donald-trump-election0316PMStoryPhoto&linkId=32102063

Edited December 8, 2016 by mimolicious

[Russ&Caro 1,549]

How much of this surge is due to the election and how much due to increase in prices? Although I do understand that the increase in filing fee for citizenship is less than many of the other fee increases in filing immigration forms.

[Cathi 5,771]

How much of this surge is due to the election and how much due to increase in prices? Although I do understand that the increase in filing fee for citizenship is less than many of the other fee increases in filing immigration forms.

I had no idea there was going to be an increase in fees, and if you read the article people applied because they were scared of a Trump presidency and the surge took place long before USCIS announced their fee increases. The fee increase for the application is minimal and every single person I know who applied did so because they wanted to have citizenship before the election and had zero to do with the fee.

Edited December 8, 2016 by mimolicious

[Diamond507 10]

My husband is one of those people who waited to send in his naturalization application because no one, at least where we live, ever though Hillary would lose. USCIS has not released data since June 2016, but applications surged by 25% between October 2015-June 2016 over the previous year. The election has had a direct impact on Loyola Law School's Immigrant Justice Clinic, flooding their office with requests. The community based immigration service helps immigrants with the citizenship and naturalization process. A representative says that requests for help have tripled since the election, and that is only the people that they can answer the phone for. There are people they just can't meet with because of the high demand.

Good luck to everyone who has sent their applications in recently, hopefully there won't be long delays. I know personally know three people who have applied for naturalization in 2016 and all of them received their oath fairly quickly. One of the people applied in May of 2016 and was sworn in 87 days later in Columbus Ohio. That's fast!

The link below is an article from CNN about the surge in applications

http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/07/politics/citizenship-surge-after-donald-trump-election/index.html?sr=twCNN120816citizenship-surge-after-donald-trump-election0316PMStoryPhoto&linkId=32102063

I'm glad to finally see an article about the concerns of legal immigrants. Unfortunately I will only become eligible to file for citizenship in June 2018. I will make sure that I send my application right on the 1st day that I become eligible. Best of luck to your husband, Mimolicious!

[TBoneTX 45,659]

An unrelated post has been split from this thread, moved to the I-130 Case Progress subforum, and given the topic title "I-130 approved 10/16; no word from NVC; what's going on? [split topic]."

[Russ&Caro 1,549]

I had no idea there was going to be an increase in fees, and if you read the article people applied because they were scared of a Trump presidency and the surge took place long before USCIS announced their fee increases. The fee increase for the application is minimal and every single person I know who applied did so because they wanted to have citizenship before the election and had zero to do with the fee.

I'm not refuting your point or the point of the article. I believe the Trump candidacy/presidency is, indeed, having a profound effect on the increase in applications for citizenship. However, I wouldn't be dismissive of the effect of fee increases on the recent surge. Most immigrants wouldn't blink an eye at going through with citizenship, at any cost. Their attachment to the US is too big to have money be a factor. But many others live on the economic margins of society. I see it here in the border state that I live in. I see many LPR's who scrape by and for whom an extra $200 or $300 to file for citizenship is just too high a price to pay.

[TBoneTX 45,659]

Money talks, especially when it's saying bye-bye as it flies out the window into USCIS's coffers.