ARKANSAS, USA — Arkansas United (AU) announced on Nov. 13 that it received a federal grant of $250,000 from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for its Citizenship and Integrations Grant Program (CIGP).
This is the first time an organization in the state of Arkansas has been awarded a USCIS grant.
"We are elated to receive this grant from USCIS, especially considering that Arkansas has the fourth fastest-growing immigrant population in the nation, particularly our Hispanic, Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI), and Desi communities”, AU's Founding Executive Director Mireya Reith said.
From the grant, AU plans to launch the Together Towards Citizenship (TTC) 2023 Innovation Project to close citizenship service gaps in rural communities and the state through citizenship readiness tests, immigrant integration fairs, and expanding AU's community navigator program which assists first-generation immigrants in finding resources and opportunities in Arkansas.
Reith said this grant will help empower immigrants and promote participation as U.S. citizens.
“USCIS recognizes the crucial role that naturalization plays in the civic integration of immigrants, and Arkansas United shares in their mission to empower newcomers with the tools and knowledge needed to fully integrate into American society," Reith said.
According to AU, the CIGP is designed to expand access to citizenship preparation services and give immigrants the tools to integrate into American society.
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