Every year, hundreds of thousands of immigrants go through a life-changing experience: taking the oath to become a U.S. citizen. According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, about 940,000 people did just that between October 2021 and September 2022. The figure marks a sharp jump from the number of new Americans during the same period just two years earlier, which was only 614,000.
The new number reflects a “steady upward trend” historically, says Pew demographer Jeffrey Passel. In fact, last year’s total is the third highest since 1907. But there is another explanation behind the spike: Covid-19. Starting in March 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services offices were closed for months. Passel says that led to a backlog of new citizen applications that the agency is finally digging its way out of.
People born in the United States or to U.S. parents overseas are automatically citizens. Immigrants can become Americans through the process of naturalization. This gives them all the privileges of a citizen, including the right to vote, as well as responsibilities such as serving on juries and in the military if needed.
Becoming naturalized is not an easy thing to do. Candidates must take tests to prove they have a working knowledge of the English language, U.S. history, and American government. And it’s not quick. One must live legally in the U.S. for at least five years (three years if married to a citizen). Plus, the paperwork can take well over a year.
But for Alex De Mola, an Italian immigrant who became an American last May, the effort was worth it. “I want to vote, have an impact on society, and make choices as a citizen,” he told The New York Times.