A nonprofit with deep ties to Atlanta’s Asian and immigrant communities has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal funds to help eligible foreign-born residents apply for citizenship.
Late last month, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the federal agency that manages lawful immigration to the country, announced it had awarded $12.6 million in grants to organizations nationwide to provide citizenship preparation resources.
Benefits of naturalization include the ability to vote in U.S. elections and protection against being placed in deportation proceedings — which are expected to become widespread next year with Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Trump has pledged to unleash a mass deportation campaign on “Day 1.”
The only Georgia nonprofit among the 43 grant recipients — and one of just three in the Southeast — is the Center for Pan Asian Community Services, headquartered in Chamblee. CPACS has for decades provided health services, English language education, benefits enrollment help and more to local immigrant residents, with a focus on metro Atlanta’s large Asian diaspora.
The grant was for more than $240,000.
Alexis Nkusi, interim CEO of CPACS, said there are roughly 113,000 immigrant residents who are eligible to naturalize across DeKalb, Gwinnett and Fulton counties alone.
“This critical funding will enable CPACS to significantly expand our naturalization services with citizenship preparation classes and workshops, legal assistance and language resources,” Nkusi said. “By removing barriers to citizenship, we are not only empowering individual community members but also strengthening the social fabric of our region through increased civic engagement and opportunity.”
The naturalization process includes a biometrics check and an English and civics exam, and it culminates with an emotional oath ceremony.
According to U.S. Census data, 49% of Georgia’s foreign-born population — which numbers over 1.2 million people — have achieved citizenship status.
U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson represents the district in which CPACS is headquartered.
The grant “underscores the importance of the work being done by CPACS to support the diverse and growing immigrant communities in Georgia,” he said in a press release. “By removing barriers and providing vital resources, this program is helping individuals realize their American Dream, and I’m proud to support such transformative efforts.”
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has awarded approximately $168 million in competitive grants through its Citizenship and Integration Grant Program since that initiative began in 2009. The grant-eligible nonprofits include social services providers such as CPACS, but also organizations like faith-based groups, public libraries and adult education and literacy groups.
Overall, the agency estimates it has assisted more than 375,000 lawful permanent residents, also known as green-card holders, with preparing for U.S. citizenship.
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