The Latino population that have the least chance of obtaining U.S. citizenship, according to a study
The research reveals that the recent arrival in the United States makes this population less likely to receive naturalization.
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From among the variety of Latin American populations currently residing in the United States, individuals originating from Venezuela are the least likely to obtain citizenship in this country, according to a study carried out by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI).
As revealed in the research, only 25% of the total number of Venezuelans registered in the United States have American citizenship.
But, why do Venezuelan immigrants have lower chances of accessing American citizenship?
The reasons for the decline in naturalized Americans from Venezuela
The study points out, among the variety of reasons why this population group has a lower percentage of American naturalizations, the mode of entry through which they arrive in the United States. Because the vast majority cannot obtain permanent residency through family or employment sponsorship, as with other Latino groups, they arrive in the North American country through various programs such as Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
This strategy, known as TPS in English, was granted to Venezuela starting in 2021 and extended in 2023, with the aim of protecting immigrant individuals from deportation.
In addition to this, a large number of Venezuelans have opted for the so-called humanitarian parole under the Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (CHNV) program, which allows individuals from these countries to enter the United States for a period of up to two years.
Ironically, this pair of pathways for Venezuelan citizens' access have also led to the denial of temporary residency through family or employment sponsorship for the majority.
The rules for obtaining American citizenship
According to the guidelines set by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), once a person obtains legal residency in the country, they must reside within it for at least 5 years to initiate the naturalization process.
In the same study, and regarding another reason why this population has seen reduced opportunities to become citizens of the United States, it is due to the cancellation of various migrant assistance programs by President Donald Trump. Such measures have also limited access to asylum for those who enter the country irregularly.
As mentioned by the MPI, Venezuela ranks 14th among countries with the highest number of new permanent residents in the United States in 2023, of which 26% received such permission for asylum refuge, a much larger percentage than the 8% of total new permanent residents in the country.
In addition to all of the above, the low income earned by Venezuelan citizens, averaging $71,900 per household, as well as the high percentage living in poverty, 17%, have hindered this group from having more opportunities to become American citizens.
*This article has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence
