San Francisco citizenship collaborative celebrates 11 years and 11,500 new citizens

SAN FRANCISCO - In celebration of Citizenship Day, San Francisco is encouraging eligible green card holders to take advantage of the free resources available to apply for citizenship. The City is hosting two free workshops over the next month to help individuals apply for citizenship, and encouraging new citizens to register to vote in time for the November elections.

The free workshops are the latest events organized by the San Francisco Pathways to Citizenship Initiative, a collaborative of non-profit organizations funded by the City to help make citizenship more accessible and affordable.

"Since the inception of the non-profit collaborative San Francisco Pathways to Citizenship Initiative (SFPCI) in 2013, we have been celebrating National Citizenship Day every year," said Anni Chung, president and CEO of Self-Help for the Elderly, the Initiative's lead organization. "SFPCI has assisted over 11,500 on their journey to become U.S. citizens."

This year, organizers say, many newly naturalized citizens are excited to be able to vote for the first time.

"After attending an SFPCI workshop, I registered to vote and can now vote for the very first time. I exercised my right to vote in the presidential primary, and now I can't wait to vote in November," said Daniel Abera, 39, who is originally from Ethiopia. "Now that I am a U.S. citizen, it has opened up endless opportunities for me and I will finally be able to visit my family for the first time in 16 years." Abera also volunteers at SFPCI workshops to help others on their pathway to citizenship.

On Citizenship Day, the collaborative is hosting Lawyers in the Library, a computer-based clinic, at San Francisco Public Library's main location at 100 Larkin St. where individuals can get help applying for citizenship through the online program citizenshipworks.org.

"The Library is a hub for culture, education, and community," said City Librarian Michael Lambert. "We are excited to partner on Lawyers in the Library to provide a central space for our community members to apply for citizenship."

"The San Francisco Pathways to Citizenship Initiative removes barriers many immigrants face by making the process of becoming a U.S. citizen accessible, affordable, and simple," said Jorge Rivas, director of the Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA) and secretary of the San Francisco Immigrant Rights Commission. "This Citizenship Day, we encourage you to seize the full power of citizenship: vote with purpose, run for office, and remain actively engaged in civic life to create lasting and meaningful change in your communities."

Applicants in San Francisco can get help covering the cost of the application through the City's partnership with local non-profit organization Mission Asset Fund. The City and County of San Francisco provides a 50% match through Mission Asset Fund, for applicants who live, work, or attend school in San Francisco. Applicants can use the 50% match to pay the filing fee for naturalization or other immigration benefits including Temporary Protected Status (TPS), U visas for crime victims, family petitions, or renewal of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

Funded by the City and local foundation partners, the San Francisco Pathways to Citizenship Initiative has held 81 free workshops across the city, provided legal screenings to nearly 19,000 immigrants, and saved applicants over $6 million in application fees. In 2017, the Initiative launched its Lawyers in the Library partnership with the San Francisco Public Library to help applicants apply for citizenship through computer-based workshops. In 2018, it partnered with the San Francisco International Airport to allow employees and their families to apply for citizenship at the airport. SF Pathways also helps connect applicants with English as a Second Language (ESL) and citizenship classes through City College of San Francisco and other organizations.

For more information about the free citizenship workshops on September 17, 2024 and October 19, 2024, go to: sfcitizenship.org. To make an appointment, applicants can leave a message on one of their multilingual hotlines:

• English: 415-662-8901
• Spanish: 415-662-8902
• Chinese: 415-295-5894
• Filipino: 415-498-0735
• Russian: 415-754-3818
• Vietnamese: 415-295-5894

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About the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA)
The Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA) is a policy, compliance, direct services and grantmaking office. OCEIA's mission is to promote inclusive policies and foster immigrant assistance programs that lead to full civic, economic and linguistic inclusion. OCEIA seeks a safe, engaged and inclusive San Francisco where everyone can contribute and thrive.
Learn more: sf.gov/oceia

About the San Francisco Pathways to Citizenship Initiative
The San Francisco Pathways to Citizenship Initiative was established in 2013 by the late Mayor Edwin M. Lee as a public-private partnership between local foundations and the City and County of San Francisco's Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA) to promote citizenship and civic participation among San Francisco's naturalization-eligible immigrants. The San Francisco Pathways to Citizenship Initiative partners include:

• Self-Help for the Elderly (lead agency)
• Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach
• Immigration Institute of the Bay Area
• Jewish Family and Children's Services
• Jubilee Immigration Advocates
• La Raza Community Resource Center
• We RISE SF

Learn more: sfcitizenship.org

About San Francisco Public Library
San Francisco Public Library connects our diverse communities to learning, opportunities and each other. The library system is made up of 27 neighborhood branches, the San Francisco Main Library at Civic Center and four bookmobiles.

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