RAND State Statistics recently updated its Persons Naturalized by Country of Birth & CBSA of Residence database, reporting the number of persons naturalized by country of birth and Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA) of intended residence by Fiscal Year. Naturalization is the process by which U.S. citizenship is conferred upon foreign citizens or nationals after fulfilling the requirements established by Congress in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Note that Congo, Democratic Republic and Congo, Republic are distinct and separate countries.

 

From 2009 to 2019, the total number of persons naturalized fell from 1,130,818 to 1,031,765, an 8.8% decrease (See Figure 1).  New citizens from all of North America fell 1.2%, from 375,236 persons in 2009 to 370,860 in 2019 (See Table 1). North America contains all Caribbean and Central America countries, Bermuda, Canada, Mexico, the United States of America, as well as Greenland.

 

Figure 1 — Persons Naturalized by Country of Birth & CBSA, Total Regions, 2009-2019

 

Table 1 — Persons Naturalized by Country of Birth & CBSA, North America, 2009-2019

 

Over this ten-year period, the Congo, Democratic Republic had the largest relative growth of persons naturalized, rising from 2,122 persons to 8,999, a 324.1% increase (See Table 2). Other counties with large increases of persons naturalized from this period were Afghanistan (220.3%), Honduras (148.3%), Syria (144.3%), Nepal (126.0%), and Uganda (87.7%) (See Figure 2).

 

Table 2 — Persons Naturalized by Country of Birth & CBSA, 2009-2019

 

Figure 2 — Persons Naturalized by Country of Birth & CBSA, 2009-2019

 

From 2009-2019, Serbia and Montenegro (former) had the most significant relative decline in persons naturalized, shrinking from 3,166 to 1??39, a decrease of 95.6% (See Table 3). Soviet Union (former) (-79.2%), Somalia (-72.0%), Congo, Republic (-69.5%), Iran (-64.2%), and Burma (-63.1%) also had notable decreases over these ten years (See Figure 3).

 

Table 3 — Persons Naturalized by Country of Birth & CBSA, 2009-2019

 

Figure 3 — Persons Naturalized by Country of Birth & CBSA, 2009-2019

 

Figure 4 compares the the countries with the largest and smallest growths in persons naturalized from 2009-2019.

 

Figure 4 — Persons Naturalized by Country of Birth & CBSA, 2009-2019

 

 

Category: Population