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Free Citizenship Services
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About Project New Citizen
Background
How we do it
Background
In 2015, the Center for Employment Training, Immigration and Citizenship Program, partnered with the Silicon Valley Community Foundation to create e-immigrate, an automated multilingual registration platform with phone lines, online registration & real time tracking. This platform enabled us to register a large number of participants who
In 2015, the Center for Employment Training, Immigration and Citizenship Program, partnered with the Silicon Valley Community Foundation to create e-immigrate, an automated multilingual registration platform with phone lines, online registration & real time tracking. This platform enabled us to register a large number of participants who attend our annual citizenship workshop known as Project New Citizen. Over the years, we’ve continued to use this platform throughout Silicon Valley, different parts of California, New York, Florida, and Texas.
When the pandemic struck and large in-person gatherings were prohibited, we worked with Open Source San Jose to build CIIT (Citizenship and Immigration Information Tool). This addition to e-immigrate helps educate and pre-screen participants from anywhere in the U.S. who might be eligible for citizenship in 14 different languages.
Mission
How we do it
Background
Project New Citizen is a workshop made possible by the collaboration of government and community-based organizations who provide FREE education and immigration legal services to low income legal permanent residents (green card holders) who are eligible to apply for citizenship.
How we do it
How we do it
How we do it
By adapting to any situation and in partnership with our community. We use e-immigrate to register, educate, and prescreen legal permanent residents, who are eligible for citizenship, FREE of charge. We rely on these tools to reduce staff time, eliminate redundancy, and increase efficacy to assist as many participants as possible.
Our Partners
Behind the Scenes
Monica Limas
Immigration & Citizenship Program Team
Valdo Drozdek
Monica Limas is the Director for the Immigration and Citizenship Program, at the Center for Employment Training. For the last decade, she has led Project New Citizen. As a former City of San Jose employee, she supported neighborhood leadership development, community organizing, and grassroots advocacy. Monica became civically active fo
Monica Limas is the Director for the Immigration and Citizenship Program, at the Center for Employment Training. For the last decade, she has led Project New Citizen. As a former City of San Jose employee, she supported neighborhood leadership development, community organizing, and grassroots advocacy. Monica became civically active following Hurricane Katrina, when she volunteered as an Emergency Relief Vehicle Supervisor in New Orleans, LA.
Monica’s creative approach to management and community building is influenced by her experience as a Senior Producer for Media G3, where she launched an email marketing software that increased brand recognition, product loyalty, and sales growth. Monica Limas was born in Aguascalientes, Mexico, and immigrated to the United States with her family when she was six years old. She is a native Spanish speaker, first generation college graduate from San Jose State University.
Valdo Drozdek
Immigration & Citizenship Program Team
Valdo Drozdek
Valdo Drozdek has served as the Technology and Outreach Specialist for the past six years. He was born in Poland, raised in Portland, Oregon, and has lived in San Jose since 2003. Valdo is a great asset in the community, given his knowledge of English, Polish, Spanish, Serbo-Croatian, Russian, Ukrainian, Italian, Farsi, Bengali, Hindi
Valdo Drozdek has served as the Technology and Outreach Specialist for the past six years. He was born in Poland, raised in Portland, Oregon, and has lived in San Jose since 2003. Valdo is a great asset in the community, given his knowledge of English, Polish, Spanish, Serbo-Croatian, Russian, Ukrainian, Italian, Farsi, Bengali, Hindi, and Arabic. His background in industrial design and work experience guide the agency's projects. Since early 2017, Valdo has worked with SVCF to build and manage e-immigrate, the registration and tracking platform used to register Citizenship Day participants. He is the main collaborator with Open Source and was crucial in the development of CIIT. Most recently, he completed coding and project management courses through General Assembly. Perfection - his greatest asset is his greatest weakness.
Immigration & Citizenship Program Team
Immigration & Citizenship Program Team
Immigration & Citizenship Program Team
Our organization has delivered direct immigration legal services to our South Bay residents for over 30 years. We've helped over 100,000 individuals to date and we have over 70 partnerships with other like minded nonprofit organizations, city officials, high schools, colleges, small businesses, private law firms, and media outlets throu
Our organization has delivered direct immigration legal services to our South Bay residents for over 30 years. We've helped over 100,000 individuals to date and we have over 70 partnerships with other like minded nonprofit organizations, city officials, high schools, colleges, small businesses, private law firms, and media outlets throughout the Bay Area. We understand the needs of our community because we live in the community. All of our staff is or comes from immigrant families. Our work and virtual tools have garnered the support and funding from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, the New Americans Campaign, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the Knight Foundation, UNIDOSUS, and the Sunlight Giving Foundation. With additional funding and support, our tools have the potential to be used nationwide.
CITIZENSHIP DAY 2019: In-Person Workshop
2024 Highlights
PARTICIPANTS FROM
48 CITIES*
*including Poinciana, FL & Laguna de Majahual, Mexico Matabasta
VIRTUALLY EDUCATED & PRE-SCREENED FOR CITIZENSHIP IN 2024
World Wide Reach: 70 Countries
Citizenship Day 2024 Participants
Participants who watched our orientation video & self screened for citizenship eligibility come from the above countries.
IMPACT DURING THE PANDEMIC
Televised Ads & Key Partnerships
2023 Citizenship Day Participant Turned Citizen & Spokesperson
Roberto became a US citizen just six months after receiving assistance at our 2023 workshop!
Thanks to the Santa Clara County Office of Immigrant Relations and
the City of San Jose Office of Racial Equity, we were able to deploy several commercials with Univision and Telemundo.
Univision & Telemundo Advertisements
These commercials are televised two weeks before the event and while registration remains open.
Santa Clara County Social Services Agency Outreach & Canvassing
Flyers are posted throughout the South Bay in 14 languages. The Santa Clara County Social Services Agency (SCCSSA) also deploys text, email, and robocall blasts to their beneficiaries, informing them about our event. During the in person workshop, a representative from SCCSSA provides a benefits confirmation letter for any Santa Clara County participant who qualifies for a fee waiver and completes their citizenship application.
HOW WE CHANGE LIVES
Joel Blanco
2021 Citizenship Day Participant
Joel came to our table in San Jose, CA during National Night Out 2022. He was among the first participants to use CIIT. He received FREE application assistance and is now a proud citizen!
Lichun Gao
2023 Citizenship Day Participant
Lichun Gao became a US citizen at the age of 91! Her son Sherman helped her register online and attend our workshop. She sent her citizenship application, passed her test with flying colors, and became a US citizen just in time to vote in the next general election.
Leslie Alaniz de Espinoza
2022 Citizenship Day Participant
After 23 years of living as a legal permanent resident Leslie attended our FREE workshop and in January 2023, she became a U.S. citizen. Leslie is proud to have dual citizenship and feels more confident to get involved in her community. She states, "...if I had known it was this easy to apply and get citizenship, I would have done it years ago!"
Voices from our community
Over 100,000 Legal Permanent Residents in Santa Clara County are eligible for citizenship.
"...hay más beneficios para los ciudadanos. Así ya no nos pueden deportar, y es importante votar para elegir a elegir líderes que sí nos representen...y la verdad, el examen no está tan difícil. Es cosa de estudiar, echarle ganas como todo, muchos de nosotros que hemos estado aquí por mucho tiempo entendemos el inglés, entendemos lo suficiente para pasar el examen y la verdad que ¡se siente bonito, se pone uno contento, gracias!" -Rogelio
"...there are more benefits for citizens. This way they can no longer deport us, and it is important to vote to elect leaders who represent us...and the truth is, the test is not that difficult. It's a matter of studying, trying like everything, many of us who have been here for a long time understand English, we understand enough to pass the test and the truth is that it feels good, it makes you happy, thank you!" -Rogelio
