Applications for U.S. citizenship soared in the first three months of the year compared with 2015, appearing to confirm the predictions of several Democratic-leaning groups that the numbers would climb in response to the presidential campaign of Republican Donald Trump.
If the trends continue, activists now expect there to be nearly 1 million new citizens this year – roughly 200,000 more than the average in most years. That uptick would be just the latest signal of how Trump’s campaign has fundamentally reshaped the American electorate.
Figures released this week by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services show 249,730 new citizenship applications were submitted from January to March, a 28 percent jump from last year and a 34 percent increase from last quarter.
Historically, citizenship applications usually climb at the start of a presidential campaign cycle. Compared with the same three-month period in 2012, applications jumped by at least 6 percent.
The official quarterly statistics do not break down applicants by ethnicity, race or gender. But the release comes just days after several immigrants rights and voter registration organizations predicted the figures would grow, citing an increased turnout at citizenship workshops and calls to hotlines or congressional offices for more information.
