Skip navigation
Catalyst Miami
  • About Us
      Meet Our Team Join Our Team Partners Supporters
  • Services & Programs
      Health & Financial Wellness
        Tax Preparation Financial & Health Services Small Business Support Worker-Owned Enterprises Program Building Prosperity Workforce Cohort Future Bound Miami
      Policy & Advocacy
        Issues We Care About CLEAR HEAL Disability Rights & The Enable Project Catalyst to the Capital
      Capacity Building COVID-19 Resource Center
  • Events
  • Latest
  • Library
  • Donate
  • Get Updates
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Get Updates
  • Contact

Miami-Dade County to Open Office of New Americans

By: Equal Voices News

As the push to reform U.S. immigration policy remained stalled on Tuesday, grassroots advocates and immigrant families in Florida’s Miami-Dade County took a moment to celebrate what they’re hailing as a positive local step for new Americans.

Miami-Dade County is joining the “Cities for Citizenship” campaign and opening an Office of New Americans to help eligible immigrants learn more about naturalization, financial education and legal counseling, the Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC) reported on Tuesday.

The national campaign seeks to boost citizenship and has the support of New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. Miami-Dade is the first county to join the campaign, FLIC said.

“For a long time, local and national nonprofits have led naturalization efforts in the country, but we understand that in order for this to be sustainable and to really ensure that eligible permanent residents have the support they need to become new Americans and fully integrate to our country, local and state governments need to be involved,” Francesca Menes, policy and advocacy coordinator for FLIC, said in a statement.

Also celebrating the joining of the “Cities for Citizenship” campaign were Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, County Chair Jean Monestime, County Commissioner Levine Cava and Citi, which is a corporate partner.

Supporters estimate that Miami-Dade County is home to about 494,000 people who are eligible green card holders. Many of those residents, supporters add, are Haitian or Cuban. Florida is home to about 1.2 million people who are eligible for citizenship.

Grassroots advocates say that only 10 percent of permanent residents who are eligible for citizenship, though, complete the entire process. “The low rates of naturalization are usually due to lack of access to information and legal assistance, or economic and language barriers that affect mostly low-income families,” FLIC said in a statement, adding that filing fees can cost about $680.

Naturalized immigrants can earn more money, sometimes about 10 percent more than when they lacked legal status. FLIC estimates that between $2 billion to $3 billion could go to the Miami-Dade County economy over five years if 247,000 permanent residents gain citizenship and their earnings go up.

“Those who gain citizenship are able to access more jobs, achieve economic mobility and improve the livelihood of their families,” FLIC said.

Miami-Dade County also is receiving help from Catholic Legal Services, the region’s public libraries, Florida International University School of Law and Catalyst Miami, which is a grassroots organization. The “Cities for Citizenship” campaign is receiving support from the Center for Popular Democracy and the National Partnership for New Americans.

The Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC), which was founded in 1998, works on human rights and social policy issues.

  Catalyst Miami, Catholic Legal Services, Citi, Cities for Citizenship, Florida Immigrant Coalition, Florida International University, Francesca Menes, Mayor Carlos Gimenez, Miami Dade County, Miami-Dade County Chair Jean Monestime, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Levine Cava, naturalization, Office of New Americans

 http://www.equalvoiceforfamilies.org/miami-dade-county-to-open-office-of-new-americans/#sthash.Wt1obKfD.dpuf
News

Share

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share by Email

Related

Holistic Life Foundation to Host 14-Day Self-Care Challenge on Instagram Live
Holistic Life Foundation to Host 14-Day Self-Care Challenge on Instagram Live
Read more
Catalyst Miami Logo

Copyright© Catalyst Miami 2020

Created by Code Nation using NationBuilder