Skip to main content
This is the USCIS preview website. Visit uscis.gov for the official USCIS site.
USCIS Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
U.S. flag
An official website of the United States government    Here's how you know
Español
Multilingual Resources
Official Government Website

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Website

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( A locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Seal, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
 
Sign In  
Access USCIS online services.
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
Sign In
Create Account
Horizontal Menu
  • Topics
  • Forms
  • Newsroom
  • Citizenship
  • Green Card
  • Laws
  • Tools
  • Contact us
  • Multilingual Resources
  • Ask Emma
Main navigation
Skip to main content
  • Citizenship Resource Center
    • Interagency Strategy for Promoting Naturalization
    • New U.S. Citizens
    • Learn About Citizenship
      • Should I Consider U.S. Citizenship?
      • Naturalization Eligibility Tool
      • Citizenship and Naturalization
        • I am a Lawful Permanent Resident of 5 Years
        • I am Married to a U.S. Citizen
        • I am the Child of a U.S. Citizen
      • 10 Steps to Naturalization
      • The Naturalization Interview and Test
      • Naturalization Ceremonies
      • Commonly Asked Questions
    • Apply for Citizenship
      • Exceptions and Accommodations
      • Free Naturalization Information Sessions
      • Find Help in Your Community
        • Find a Class
    • Naturalization Test and Study Resources
      • Study for the Test (2008 version)
        • Test Yourself! 2008 Civics Practice Test
      • Naturalization Test Redesign Development 2022
      • Citizenship Multilingual Resources
      • Check for Test Updates
      • Civics Test (2020 version)
    • Resources for Educational Programs
      • Educational Products for Educators and Program Administrators
      • Upcoming Teacher Trainings
        • Citizenship Teacher Training Registration
    • Civic Integration
      • Citizenship Ambassadors
      • Fiscal Year 2022 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program Awards Announcement
      • Learn About the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program
        • Fiscal Year 2022 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program
        • Success Stories from Grant Recipients
      • Settling in the U.S.
      • Support Your Community
      • Outstanding Americans by Choice
    • Outreach Tools
      • Citizenship Public Education and Awareness Campaign
      • Learn About the Civics and Citizenship Toolkit
        • Register for a Civics and Citizenship Toolkit
      • Set Up a Citizenship Corner
      • Libraries
      • Museums
      • Community-Based Organizations
      • Local Governments
      • Employers
    • Naturalization Statistics
      • Naturalization Test Performance
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Citizenship Resource Center
  3. Outreach Tools
  4. Local Governments

Local Governments

Citizenship and Civic Integration Resources for Local Governments

Local communities play an important role in welcoming and assisting immigrants. USCIS has developed a list of resources for municipal governments interested in supporting citizenship and preventing immigration scams. Below are ways we can work together to strengthen civic integration efforts in your community.

Outreach Events and Community Engagement
  1. Hold an information session on naturalization for aspiring citizens and invite a local USCIS representative to present on immigration topics relevant to your community. USCIS sessions are free of charge and open to the public. Topics covered at USCIS sessions will include naturalization eligibility requirements, the naturalization process, the naturalization test, and the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship. To request an event in your area, contact USCIS-IGAOutreach@uscis.dhs.gov.
  2. Host a naturalization ceremony. The naturalization ceremony is a pivotal milestone in the naturalization process. USCIS aims to make naturalization ceremonies meaningful events in the lives of the participants. If you are interested in participating in a ceremony, please contact USCIS-IGAOutreach@uscis.dhs.gov.

  3. Post naturalization information on your government’s website to direct users to USCIS web-based resources. We have found the Internet to be an effective and important tool to reach audiences interested in naturalization. To assist you, we have sample web page content (PDF, 44.83 KB) with helpful links to key USCIS resources and information.

  4. Add a widget to your website to easily link to USCIS naturalization information and resources. The widgets are small online applications in English and Spanish that can be embedded on social media sites, blogs, or other web pages to direct users to USCIS web content.

  5. Visit the Citizenship Public Education and Awareness page to print and distribute outreach materials and posters. You will also find promotional radio and television PSAs that can be added to your webpage.

  6. Combat immigration scams. Immigration scams and the unauthorized practice of immigration law pose a serious threat to immigrant communities. A variety of educational tools, public service announcements, and information on finding authorized legal assistance are available for distribution on our Avoid Scams web page.

  7. Work with your public libraries to create a Citizenship Corner. This is a dedicated space where immigrants can find information about becoming a U.S. citizen. Citizenship Corners may also be established at community centers, adult education sites, and other city facilities.

  8. Order one free copy of the Civics and Citizenship Toolkit. The Toolkit contains immigration and citizenship publications, handbooks, and multimedia tools designed for new and experienced organizations. You may use the Toolkit to provide basic information to the immigrant community, develop content for citizenship classes, and train staff and volunteers. Additional resources are available for purchase through the U.S. Government Bookstore. You can share information about the Toolkit with organizations that serve immigrants in your community. Note: At this time, we are making updates to the Civics and Citizenship Toolkit and its contents. Until the toolkit is updated, we will halt distribution. Please check back regularly.

  9. Use the office locator to find an office in your area.

Training and Technical Assistance
  1. Request a USCIS training event. We offer free citizenship-focused training seminars for adult educators, volunteers, and teachers. These seminars are designed to enhance the skills needed to teach U.S. history, civics, and the naturalization process to immigrant students. They include hands-on practice developing effective citizenship curriculum, lesson plans, and classroom activities incorporating civics content.

  2. Download a program development guide (PDF, 8.19 MB) that provides a step-by-step process to create or maintain a high-quality adult citizenship education program. It also includes USCIS products and resources that you can use at each step of the process.

  3. Engage volunteers in adult citizenship education classrooms with a series of training modules developed by USCIS. These training modules are designed to equip adult citizenship education volunteers in government or community programs with a basic understanding of adult second language acquisition and the naturalization process, including the interview and test. After reviewing the modules, volunteers will be able to use this information and additional USCIS resources to prepare learners for the naturalization process.

    You can plan a training and discussion session for volunteers using the training modules, or share the training modules with government and civic volunteer coordinators through your communication channels such as internal and external websites, mailing lists, and resource guides.

Citizenship Education and Naturalization Preparation Grants

Apply for federal funding under the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program. Public schools, local public education agencies, and state and local governments can apply for a competitive grant opportunity as long as they have demonstrated experience providing citizenship education and/or naturalization preparation services to permanent residents. Future funding opportunities are dependent upon congressional action.

Educational Resources
  1. Visit and link to the Citizenship Resource Center. This website provides comprehensive naturalization information, study materials, and resources for adult learners, teachers, and organizations that serve immigrants.

    The Citizenship Resource Center also includes downloadable posters and flyers promoting the rights, responsibilities, and importance of U.S. citizenship. You can hang posters and distribute flyers in public areas of the community such as visitor centers, recreational centers, community centers, and public schools.

  2. Visit and link to Settling in the U.S., which provides new immigrants with basic information about living in the United States. On this page, you will also find the Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants (PDF, 3.57 MB). This guide contains practical information to help immigrants settle into everyday life in the United States, as well as basic civics information that introduces new immigrants to the U.S. system of government. We offer the guide in 14 languages online or you may purchase it in English, Spanish, and Chinese through the U.S. Government Bookstore.

Additional Resources

Yearbook of Immigration Statistics

Last Reviewed/Updated:
09/16/2021
Was this page helpful?
0 / 2000
To protect your privacy, please do not include any personal information in your feedback. Review our Privacy Policy.
Return to top
  • Topics
  • Forms
  • Newsroom
  • Citizenship
  • Green Card
  • Laws
  • Tools
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Seal, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Instagram
LinkedIn
Email
Contact USCIS
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Seal

USCIS.gov

An official website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Important links
  • About USCIS
  • Accessibility
  • Budget and Performance
  • DHS Components
  • Freedom of Information Act
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Privacy and Legal Disclaimers
  • Site Map
  • Office of the Inspector General
  • The White House
  • USA.gov
Looking for U.S. government information and services?
Visit USA.gov