Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System branches participating in Citizenship Corners: Central Library (Downtown Atlanta), Adams Park, Alpharetta, Buckhead, Fairburn, Hapeville, Northeast (Johns Creek), Ocee, Palmetto, Ponce de Leon, Roswell, Sandy Springs, and Wolf Creek.
At least 8,400 immigrants with permanent resident status who reside in the city of Atlanta – not to mention those who live in the rest of Fulton County – are benefitting from Citizenship Corners, an agreement between the city of Atlanta and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services which now serves as an educational program in 13 out of 35 branches of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System.
Citizenship Corners is an initiative for those interested in becoming American citizens and seek help and information pertaining to the naturalization process. In participating libraries, special corners – hence the program’s name – have been converted into spaces where a wide variety of resources related to the civic process can be found, such as books, manuals and flyers.
The initiative also “plans to train librarians and other city officials about the naturalization process and the free preparation resources available to immigrant library patrons,” according to a letter of agreement signed on April 23 by Mayor Kasim Reed and USCIS director León Rodríguez.
Furthermore, the USCIS-Atlanta alliance also plans to “provide citizenship information through public schools and community centers, and raise public awareness about immigration services scams.”
For Pamela Wilson, Public Affairs Officer for USCIS, “this collaboration is founded on the idea that libraries play a critical role in serving immigrant communities.”
The cultural and economic impact the immigrant community has had on the city is becoming increasingly evident. In fact, Atlanta is now USCIS’s fourth municipal partner, joining agreements made by other metropolitan areas including Los Angeles and Chicago, as well as the metropolitan goverment of Nashville and Davidson County.
At the time the partnership for Citizenship Corners was formed, Mayor Reed declared that “new immigrant business owners generate business revenue of $2.9 billion each year” in the city.
“We know that when an individual becomes a U.S. citizen, not only does he or she feel more engrossed in American society, but there is also a tendency for salaries and economic stability to rise. We’ve seen that impact every time we hold naturalization ceremonies in City Hall,” said Luisa Cardona, Deputy Director of the Office of Immigrant Affairs of the City of Atlanta.
“We don’t currently have any information regarding how many people have benefited from this initiative, but we do know that the resources offered by Citizenship Corners are available to the 8,400 permanent residents who live in the city of Atlanta,” she added.
Across the country, 8.8 million permanent residents are candidates to become citizens, a statistic that the White House hopes to reduce through its Stay Stronger campaign. Launched last month via its website Committocitizenship.org, the program aims to provide resources and information to make the path to citizenship in the United States easier and more accessible.
About the Author
