---
"title": "Foreign-Born U.S. Residents Who Have Become Citizens at a High"
"description": "More than half of foreign-born citizens in the U.S. legally became naturalized citizens as of 2011, the highest level in three decades."
"date": "2013-04-23"
"authors":
  -
    "name": "Bruce Drake"
    "job_title": "Former Senior Editor"
    "link": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/staff/bruce-drake/"
"url": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/short-reads/2013/04/23/foreign-born-u-s-residents-who-have-become-citizens-at-a-high/"
---

# Foreign-Born U.S. Residents Who Have Become Citizens at a High

U.S. citizenship confers a number of benefits on recipients. In addition to the right to vote, naturalized immigrants are eligible to participate in federal programs, gain a number of legal rights and become eligible for federal employment.’

According to Pew Research Center estimates, the share of all foreign-born legal permanent residents who have become naturalized U.S. citizens rose to 56% in 2011, the highest level in three decades and an 18 percentage point increase since 1990. That represents a population of 15.5 million naturalized citizens, an increase reflecting both a rise in the annual inflow of legal migrants and an increased likelihood that those who are eligible to apply for citizenship actually do so.

[![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2013/04/DN_Naturalization.png){.align}](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/hispanic/2013/02/04/ii-recent-trends-in-naturalization-2000-2011-2/)

The rest of those eligible to apply for citizenship — 12.4 million — are green card holders who could eventually naturalize and become U.S. citizens.

However, the naturalization rate for Mexicans who are in the U.S. legally [stands in contrast](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/hispanic/2013/02/04/the-path-not-taken/) to this overall trend. Nearly two-thirds of the 5.4 million legal immigrants from Mexico who are eligible to become citizens of the United States have not yet taken that step. [Read more](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/hispanic/2013/02/04/ii-recent-trends-in-naturalization-2000-2011-2/)