Citizenship Class Funds Are Sought : Immigrants: A group of Latino legislators and activists call for federal money to provide information for prospective U.S. citizens.

Bolstered by the Clinton Administration’s interest in encouraging legal immigrants to become U.S. citizens, a group of Latino legislators and community activists announced Friday that they are combining efforts to push for federal funding of citizenship classes.

Assemblyman Richard G. Polanco (D-Highland Park) said Latino officials have formed the Citizenship Network to help at least 250,000 legal immigrants in California become citizens each year.

“In 1994, 5.2 million legal permanent residents will be eligible for citizenship in California alone,” Polanco said at a news conference in front of City Hall. “Currently, the INS can process only 60,000 people a year statewide. At that rate, it would take 87 years to fully process everyone.”

Immigration and Naturalization Service Commissioner Doris M. Meissner said that since taking over the INS job last month she believes that naturalization of immigrants will ease the growing anti-immigrant sentiment. She said people who become citizens tend to adopt the values of this country, which reassures Americans.

The Citizenship Network, which consists of the Latino Legislative Caucus, Los Angeles City Councilmen Richard Alatorre and Mike Hernandez, the National Assn. of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials and various community groups, plans to establish a statewide information network and publish a resource book for prospective citizens. The network also will conduct citizenship drives.

Two bills awaiting passage in Congress are essential for the plans to augment citizenship efforts. The bills would extend the eligibility period for amnesty applicants to receive education classes and include $162 million to pay for them.

To become citizens, applicants must speak English and have a knowledge of U.S. history and government.

According to federal officials, about 10 million immigrants nationwide are eligible for citizenship.

Bert Corona, spokesman for Hermandad Mexicana Nacional in Los Angeles, said there are many U.S. citizens who are fearful that immigrants want to “take over California” but that is not the case.

“We want California to take us (immigrants) over,” he said. “Make us first-class citizens.”