Finding 6: Support Helps Overcome Barriers

Knowing loved ones can help or simply seeing others naturalize sparks many to apply and helps some overcome substantial barriers, such as low English proficiency or low confidence.

Throughout interviews with LPRs and naturalized citizens, we heard often about encouragement and pressure from loved ones before and during the application process. Additionally, exposure to another’s naturalization could motivate or inspire those eligible to move forward with citizenship. Almost half of our interviewees (22 out of 55) said family and friends’ support had a positive impact on their immigration journey. Twelve of these cited pressure from family and friends or witnessing a loved one naturalize as a catalyst to naturalize. General encouragement was the most universal method described, but we also heard accounts where pressure helped individuals continue on their application path.

"I have friends, they all did it. They just studied the questions and then they got naturalized and they're so happy. And, plus, a couple of years ago, it's like Trump became the President and some people are saying, “You don't know his policy.” So you want peace of mind. […] My family always pressured me to do it because they think your retirement or your benefits will be affected." Interviewee 62

“My family's reaction it (to me applying) was they're very happy and … just asking me why it took so long since my mom had done it on the fifth year anniversary. The anniversary of getting her Green Card, and so I think some of them thought that I took a little too long and other friends were just urging me and urging me to do it. So, it was actually because of a little bit of I would almost say like friendly bullying from some friends who were like, “Okay, you have the money, just go ahead and do it.” So, I promised them to do it the Monday after so, I kept my promise and obviously for my own good too.” Interviewee 28

"It was almost like college for us. My parents always assumed we'd become citizens." Interviewee 14

“He (my husband) made me fill out the form. He forced me. You do it and then I check and see if it’s correct…” Interview #22

For many, family members would help gather details or documents pertaining to family history and residences. Some supporters (usually spouses) would help interpret the application questions and review the applicant's answers. This need for review was prevalent even for applicants with high English proficiency or higher education. Other applicants were accompanied by a loved one to info sessions, classes, or citizenship workshops. A few people we interviewed were even applying with a loved one, such as their spouse. Once an applicant submitted their citizenship paperwork, many had help from loved ones to study for the civics quiz and prepare for the interview.

"Yeah, we sat together. We filled up the initial application and we followed up online to make sure she knew where everything was going. We thought it was a pretty smooth process. A couple of months later, I couldn't go with her to an interview, but I went with her when she was sworn as an American citizen." Interviewee S4

We also heard of applicants inquiring within their community for less intimate forms of support such as sharing first-hand accounts of what to expect or recommendations for lawyers and nonprofits. Personal referrals appear to generally be preferred as many individuals noted having a hard time ascertaining which sites or service providers were credible.

Of our interviewees who noted being supported, many came from mixed-status families who had a strong desire to ensure the entire family obtained U.S. citizenship for long-term security. However, we heard multiple times of family support from teenagers with more self-interested motives. These teenagers were also LPRs and wanted their parents to undergo the rigorous application process before they turned 18 so they could obtain citizenship automatically. We spoke to applicants at citizenship workshops who had tried unsuccessfully to pressure their LPR parent to naturalize and were now completing the process themselves. While dismayed at the arduous application, these individuals noted they would help their parent(s) once they completed their own citizenship application.

"We had a baby that was born here and our two children were U.S. citizens born abroad. She knew exactly what our objective was as a family, to make sure that we all were American citizens." Interviewee S4

"I remember just my mom crying and everything when we left the building and then I remember jumping for joy because I knew I was finally going to be in the United States with my father and just have a whole different life than we had down there. Our life wasn't that bad by any means, but we wanted our family to be together, and the only way we could do that was by traveling back here because my dad had already built a career up here in the land of opportunity." Interviewee 14

“My mom is a procrastinator and she's like you really should do that [naturalize.] But like she did it after me, so she's nuts… I honestly think it's just nerves…. I just knew she was way more stressed about it. I took care of her application.” Interviewee 6

Supporters Must Be Trusted

Since immigration and the details needed to apply for citizenship can be sensitive, the level of involvement was based on how intimate of a relationship the supporter had with the applicant. Most examples of support we heard included highly trusted family or friends and some of those that did not identify strong support structures expressed wanting help but not knowing where to turn. Often, it was assumed that one’s spouse would be involved heavily in the process.

Later in our research, we presented interviewees with a variety of ways to initiate support. None of the participants were interested in a feature we called “social pledge,” where applicants could announce to their social networks that they were beginning the application. Almost all noted that they would not feel secure in announcing something as sensitive as naturalization in such a public way. However, a different feature that let participants selectively invite others into their process was well received. When asked who they would invite to support them, most people cited they would invite spouses/partners, immediate family with whom they had good communication, or a best friend. Occasionally, people would also suggest a less intimate friend or acquaintance who they knew had exposure to the process, which seemed to indicate their knowledge was valuable and the individual could be trusted due to the shared experience.

Initiating Help Can Be Difficult

During our messaging and application testing, few individuals selected a conceptual feature within a list that advocated for requesting help from loved ones. However, as the same testers moved through a prototype experience of this feature, almost all noted it would have a positive impact on their experience and they would probably use it with close family and friends. As we spoke to people about support during their application experience, some interviewees also noted not wanting to burden others, especially if the individuals were not familiar with the naturalization process. We also did not hear many interviewees state they explicitly requested help from others. Help appeared to organically flow from ongoing, mutual conversations.

For the few individuals we spoke to with negative impressions regarding family pressure, the desire to ask loved ones for help or discuss their application appeared to be non-existent. However, their potential reception to encouragement or help may be masked by this initial distance. When speaking outside of the context of family support, these interviewees expressed a desire for someone to complete the application for them. While testing with one individual who showed little interest in family support, she expectedly did not choose any features that involved requesting assistance from loved ones. However, in the same test, she gave high marks to an example where a loved one offers to help with a discrete task. In addition to masking interest in help, interviewees who were unmoved by support from loved ones noted aspects of guilt in requesting help for something that appears accomplishable. These sentiments may cause applicants to withhold discussing their interest in applying.

“I’m close to my co-workers. I don’t want them to have the responsibility of worrying about me but if they’re free and want to offer help…” Interviewee 60

“I just need someone to do it for me. (chuckles) That’s what I need. I’m even willing to pay someone for it. I’m not one for paperwork.” Interviewee 60

Interested to learn more, we interviewed family members separately. In these conversations, we heard that expressing a genuine interest to assist the eligible LPRs often felt as if it fell on deaf ears.

"If I heard about it from my son, yes, but probably it wouldn't happen. I'd use it with him. We're not that type of family I guess. We're 3 individual people, we're family, but we have a lot going on. Kids are independent, we rarely see each other. […] Not that it's private, it's just time-consuming. Too much going on, getting other people involved, and it's gotta be on their time, it's a lot." Interviewee 60, about whether she'd use a citizenship app with her son's support

"I'd only ever help her if she'd ask. I think that's the only way I'd see myself helping her. I feel if I were to try and talk with her about her application all the time, it would burn her out and it would make her want to not do it, because I feel like she's just that type of person. […] She can't really get help from anybody else unless she really wants to get help." Interviewee 60's son

One woman we spoke to who had yet to make substantial progress on her application had a history of family pressure. When questioned about support from her sister, the participant did not feel her status was of interest and said that they did not talk about it. When the sister was interviewed, she described speaking to her eligible LPR sibling multiple times over the course of 10 years and witnessing the potential applicant “shutting down” even when offered assistance. The sister was willing to complete most of the application for her sibling but was unsure how this offer would be received and therefore had not offered to yet.

“It's more us talking at her. It's why I stopped talking to her about citizenship. Because it needs to come from her… Maybe she doesn’t believe she’s capable in doing it on her own…There’s a part of me that really wants to do the hand-holding.” Interviewee S5

Connected Supporter

“It’s a family matter.”

This supporter is a part of a family unit with the eligible LPR that depends on each other for daily tasks and long term plans.

Examples

• A young couple with mixed citizenship status who is planning on building a life in the United States together.
• Parents with mixed citizenship status raising children together.

Perception of Offering Support

• Expected
• Frequently discussed

Needs Help With

• Realizing communication styles and ways to support should be discussed even though support is a given.
• Knowing parts of the application they can substantially offer to assist with.

Independent Supporter

“It’s their decision.”

This supporter is a part of a family but their daily lives feel separate from the eligible LPR.

Examples

• A single mother of a young adult who takes care of himself or an adult child already living on their own.
• Adult siblings who talk frequently but live on their own.

Perception of Offering Support

• Unsure help is wanted
• Doesn’t know where to begin the conversation

Needs Help With

• Finding an organic and sincere way to initiate a conversation around naturalization.
• Knowing how to be helpful and when to check in.
• Understanding barriers to applying and how to avoid fueling shame for delaying or not completing their application earlier.

Word of Mouth Brings People In

When speaking with nonprofits who provide citizenship workshops, many noted how a large portion of their recruitment comes from word of mouth. Some of the individuals we surveyed at citizenship workshops were accompanied by a friend or family member who had previously attended the same clinic. Additionally, when we visited citizenship classes, we found friends and/or family members participating in the classroom environment together. Despite strong evidence for increased confidence with encouragement from loved ones, none of the organizations we spoke with used outreach targeting organic leads from prior clients. While some organizations may have robust outreach programs, through which successful applicants bring in potential applicants, stoking word of mouth or using a referral system could be a way for nonprofits to increase interest in naturalization. Organizations may have ambassador programs (which the New Americans Campaign promotes) or navigator programs (which the National Partnership for New Americans uses), but there remains room to do more.

Success From Support

Encouragement from friends and family not only feels good but also appears to help overcome barriers of the application’s complexity or a low understanding of the process.

"It's always super surprising to me that as an immigrant who had a sixth grade education, she was very insistent on getting her paperwork done, and having, hiring folks to do that work for her and especially getting that lawyer at the end helping us push through the process really, really helped out. When it came to getting my mom's citizenship and then mine, I spearheaded that and since I had been doing DACA applications, as well as citizenship applications through my nonprofit work, I was able to do my mom's application and then I did my own." Interviewee 28

Friends and family may also help overcome one of the most prevalent barriers to applying for citizenship: English language proficiency. 35 percent of eligible LPRs don’t speak English at a sufficient level to feel confident they will pass the naturalization interview.¹ From our interviews, all 12 participants who noted support as a catalyst had English as a second language. This group also tended to have a larger proportion experiencing English language proficiency as their primary barrier, indicating that getting help in their first language from someone they trust was important. Some participants said seeing someone naturalize who they perceived as having lower English proficiency was the turning point that allowed them to believe their citizenship was possible, despite low confidence in their own English.

“I was confident, but I was nervous also. Because I was afraid about my English. I thought, "What about if I can't do it?" And they're like, "Nah, you'll be okay." I was insecure until I was sitting over there.” Interviewee 18

“The mother of one of my brother in law. She don't speak any English and she have like 60 something years. I remembered she learned all the questions and all the answers. Was so funny because I have to help her as student. She don't know anything in English, but she say, "I got to do it!" And she did it already. She have it.” Interviewee 17

"Got to keep the person motivated. […] Let them know how important it is for them to complete this application. And somehow keep them excited about the prospect of becoming a U.S. citizen." Interviewee S4

Immigration and citizenship are considered personal, private matters. Given the disparity between different immigration statuses and the complex bureaucracy associated with immigration processes, only others in the same situation can fully understand each other. At the same time, seeing peers naturalize and having friends and family who care has a powerful effect on those who are procrastinating or undecided about citizenship — these are trusted people they can relate to in a landscape where it's hard to find trustworthy information. Advocacy groups can ask their community to discuss the topic with their loved ones, recommend naturalization, and dispel misinformation, hopefully amplifying the message further, even with such a sensitive topic.