WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund issued the following statement regarding fee changes proposed by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):

“The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund praises the USCIS’ decision not to increase the naturalization fee for the present time , putting a halt to exorbitant fee hikes which have placed the dream of U.S. citizenship beyond the reach of many of our nation’s newcomers. The high cost of U.S. citizenship has consistently been the single most formidable barrier to naturalization, particularly for moderate- and low-income legal permanent residents. After the 69% fee hike imposed in 2007, citizenship applications dropped dramatically, from nearly 1.4 million in fiscal year (FY) 2007, to about 526,000 in FY 2008 and 570,000 in FY2009.

We commend the USCIS for recognizing that naturalization is in the best interest of our entire country. Legal permanent residents pursue U.S. citizenship because they want to demonstrate their commitment to the United States and become full participants in the nation’s civic life. Their participation makes our democracy stronger and more vital.

“However, we are concerned with increases in the fees for some immigration services, and we will carefully review those proposals. For instance, the USCIS proposes increases in the fees for the applications that enable newcomers to reunite their families and become legal permanent residents -- increases which will place additional financial burdens on applicants. We also note that the USCIS has proposed a $5 hike in the biometric fee that must be paid by many immigration and
naturalization applicants, and we will examine the agency’s justification for it.

“We hope the day will come when all applicants for immigration services pay a reasonable fee for quality services, and this will require a fundamental reform in the way we finance our immigration services. We praise the USCIS’ decision to pursue congressional appropriations in the FY 2011 budget that will cover the costs of some of those services as one step toward achieving the reform that is needed. We urge Congress and the Administration to appropriate the funds requested, and
work toward the changes required to make all immigration and naturalization services accessible and affordable for our nation’s newcomers.”

About NALEO Educational Fund
The NALEO Educational Fund is the nation's leading non-partisan, non-profit organization that facilitates the full participation of Latinos in the American political process, from citizenship to public service.