EASTSIDE : Group Accelerates Citizenship Efforts

While Congress debates legislation that would deny legal immigrants federal assistance until they become citizens, Eastside communities are mobilizing to help 8,000 people speed through the naturalization process before the November, 1996, elections.

By the end of August, the United Neighborhoods Organization plans to hold meetings at its member churches with residents who are interested in becoming citizens. The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service has agreed to schedule tests and interviews in those churches as soon as possible.

With a tremendous backlog of applicants for citizenship, the naturalization process now takes about a year. By bringing the INS to local churches, UNO aims to cut the waiting time to nine months.