Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) is leading 35 of his colleagues in demanding answers from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) after the agency abruptly froze funding for the Citizenship and Assimilation (C&A) Grant Program, jeopardizing critical services that help lawful permanent residents become U.S. citizens. Since 2009, the C&A Grant Program, previously known as the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, has funded organizations that assist immigrants with citizenship applications, English language instruction, and civics education. The freeze—ordered by a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memorandum on January 28—has left grant recipients without resources and no clear timeline for reinstatement. A list of grant recipients impacted by the funding freeze is available—click HERE for FY23 recipients and HERE for FY24 recipients.

“We write to express our deep concern regarding the recent freeze of funding to grantees under the Citizenship and Assimilation (C&A) Grant Program, and to request further information about your actions. Since 2009, this program has been instrumental in supporting eligible lawful permanent residents on their path to U.S. citizenship,” wrote Gomez and his colleagues.

“Additionally, the services funded by this program help applicants submit correctly completed forms, reducing errors and delays, and preventing unnecessary burdens on USCIS staff,” they continued. “By equipping eligible applicants with the tools to navigate the naturalization process more effectively, the C&A Grant Program improves efficiency within the system, saving USCIS valuable time and resources otherwise spent resolving errors, issuing requests for evidence, or reprocessing applications. Cutting funding for this program will only increase administrative inefficiencies and add to existing case backlogs.”

Rep. Gomez was joined in demanding answers by Reps. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), André Carson (IN-07), Ed Case (HI-01), Danny Davis (IL-07), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Lou Correa (CA-46), Dave Min (CA-47), Jerry Nadler (NY-12), and Dina Titus (NV-01).

Rep. Gomez and his colleagues have formally requested USCIS provide clarity on the rationale behind the funding freeze, the legal authority for the decision, and an immediate plan to mitigate its impact.

You can read the full letter HERE.