Recommendations for Nonprofits

While immigrants sort out visas and Green Cards in the beginning of their immigration journey, touchpoints with immigration authorities are frequent, at least once every two or three years. Obtaining the Green Card is top of mind. As such, they are exposed to reminders to naturalize more often. After a permanent Green Card is obtained, communication around immigration drastically decreases — they might only think about it when they become eligible, or when they have to renew their Green Card. Aside from those milestones, LPRs who aren't connected to nonprofits are rarely reminded of the benefits of citizenship.

Additionally, messaging around citizenship benefits is seldom timed or linked to events that LPRs are actively prioritizing. Without this relevance, the messages are less tangible and pressing. Introducing regular messaging about specific benefits in the right contexts will help increase naturalization as a priority for immigrants.

Recommendations for Content

Be descriptive of the benefits — tell stories and encourage others to share

Catalysts to naturalize are often practical. It's good to help LPRs understand how naturalization is going to improve their current situation. Not all messages resonate with everyone, but through meaningful placement, people may be exposed to messaging they care about. During testing, LPRs reacted positively to messaging related to the catalysts that originally encouraged them to start their applications.

“I like ‘Keep everyone together. Get your citizenship. Travel with your family.’ because when I was a resident I would travel to my country with my family. My transition was difficult because I spend more time in a long line, different line, fingerprint all my fingers…and my kids and husband they don’t do it because they are U.S. Citizens.” Interview #22

Furthermore, many interviewees also took action after hearing a story about a peer naturalizing. The stories that moved LPRs to take action often included elements that paralleled their own lives, such as a shared barrier or aspiration. Analogous testimonies of success allow potential applicants to envision themselves naturalizing.

Don't downplay immigration status

While it's tempting to compare the Green Card with citizenship to highlight its benefits, it's important to note that many Green Card holders don't feel like they can afford to naturalize — some may lose their country of origin citizenship and others aren't able to comply with all the requirements for naturalization. Messaging that refers negatively to LPR status when compared to naturalized citizenship performed somewhat poorly during our testing for this reason — subjects didn't appreciate the idea that LPR status was somehow inferior, even if they indeed have access to fewer benefits. Additionally, some pointed out they wouldn't stop being immigrants after obtaining the citizenship.

Recommendations for Context

Take advantage of pacing dictated by USCIS processes

Multi-purpose organizations often collect data around when an immigrant received their Green Card, giving them unique insight into when that person will be potentially eligible to naturalize. Following up with LPRs systematically, and especially when they are close to eligibility, can improve how quickly people naturalize. After making sure any collected data is secure, it can be used as a means to identify when known catalysts (such as reaching eligibility years or the Green Card renewal period) are occurring in order to remind the LPR to consider naturalizing or begin their application. Customer relationship management (CRM) tools can enable nonprofits to automate these catalysts and messages.

Use official government channels (and some private sector channels)

Immigrants expect advice and messages from the government regarding naturalization. As we learned during our testing round, they are often distrustful of immigration outreach within the context of business or transactions. An exception was receiving contextual messaging while filing taxes with TurboTax, which was generally well received, as taxes are connected to the government. While we heard examples of doctors in large immigrant communities occasionally assisting in naturalization awareness during interviews, most of the individuals we tested felt any conversation regarding their status from a health professional would feel intrusive. Immigrants reacted mostly positively to immigration messaging when it came from DHS, city and state government agencies, and schools. Well-received intervention points included when LPRs obtain a driver's license at the DMV and sign up for healthcare insurance in the state marketplace.

Unexpected profiling and tracking is frightening

Many interviewees reacted negatively to being profiled as an immigrant during our testing. Interviewees felt uneasy regarding how a business or an agency may know sensitive information about their immigration status without them explicitly providing it at that moment, such as receiving a suggestion to naturalize in a post office receipt after mailing a package abroad, or as a part of the corresponding credit card statement. Even if these organizations had information about their immigration status, interviewees reasoned that they would be suspicious of the organization's agenda for bringing it up in an unexpected way. This doesn't mean there isn't an acceptable time and a place for this information to be shared; situations where LPRs are expected to show foreign identification feel more normal. Bringing it up in the context of the tax season was also mostly accepted as long as it was tied to the tax benefits of naturalization.

Expand outreach

Many interviewees had low awareness of the benefits of citizenship, and the resources they can use to apply for it, like free citizenship workshops and classes. This was particularly true for interviewees who hadn't been recruited through our relationship with immigration nonprofits. There seems to be a big opportunity to offer further education to a greater number of immigrants around naturalization, the fee waiver, and free resources in more spaces and contexts. Suggestions to attract new participants include:

1. Leveraging word of mouth;
2. Partnering with general interest groups/events and centralizing local resource lists;
3. Working with state and city governments to promote naturalization in the context of their services where it makes sense;
4. Working with schools and universities to promote knowledge around naturalization and the fee waivers with students;
5. Utilizing social media to reach immigrants and their loved ones with naturalization messaging;
6. Promoting nonprofit resources as available to the general public, regardless of income level.

Building support networks is challenging in a space as personal and sensitive as immigration status. However, many loved ones are already encouraging potential applicants and can be aided in doing more. Additionally, those who have naturalized can be reminded to promote assistance to others in the community.

Recommendations for Context

Guide timing for better support

Communication around naturalization should highlight the potential of including trusted family and friends in one’s journey to seek citizenship.

Some people may need time to warm up to receiving support. During testing, even those with little interest in requesting help at the onset of their application process were open to receiving additional prompts later when help might feel more warranted. Tools that foster assistance from others should provide guidance on timing to make offers of help more contextual. Until the federal government is able to better provide status information, nonprofits that assist with naturalization should attempt to provide options to collaboratively track progress. Features based on real timing will also reduce the sensation of nagging, which can fissure communication between the applicant and support channels.

In reaction to a test emulating a shared checklist with a loved on their naturalization application:

“It gives me a little bit of education of what the process would be like for him…Whenever I was going through the permanent residency stuff with him, I never really knew where things stood. That was actually part of the delay was just not knowing he was waiting for me. Knowing where he stands with certain things would be really helpful for me because I can be accountable but also know when to offer support.” Interviewee S3

“I find it really really clear and like ‘Yeah! Let’s do it!’” Interviewee S5

Generate word of mouth

Tools for citizenship can also be marketed to individuals who may have family or friends eligible to naturalize. Many supporters we spoke to were comfortable with initiating the conversation especially if given easy prompts.

Service providers should re-engage those who have naturalized to spread awareness around resources and events for those seeking citizenship, as well as encouraging them to chaperone family and friends considering citizenship through the process. Additionally, providing naturalized citizens with information regarding common misinformation or barriers would help them build confidence with eligible LPRs who may otherwise be hard to reach.

Government staff could request and showcase examples of successful supporters within the context of oath ceremonies to encourage the recently naturalized to assist others in their family or community in the future.