Citizenship Testing on a Local Level

* I was pleased to see your article about the local citizenship drive. I am one of the new American citizens who was able to take the citizenship test here in Oxnard, thanks to the work done by El Concilio del Condado de Ventura.

All legal immigrants should know by now that it is an easy process to become a citizen. You only need to have been a legal U.S. resident for at least five years. El Concilio continues to take applications and provide free citizenship exam classes.

And, remember, time is running short for anyone who wishes to become a citizen in time to vote in the 1996 presidential election.

MARTINA MORALES

Oxnard

* The June 10 headline, “Push by INS Moves Immigrants Toward Their Biggest Test,” implies that the Immigration and Naturalization Service is the moving force behind the wave of citizenship applications and the effort to bring citizenship testing to the communities where the new citizens reside.

While the INS has certainly been extremely receptive to the many organizations working to promote citizenship, it is important to remember that the “push” for citizenship has come from the legal immigrants themselves. The number of people applying to the INS for U.S. citizenship has soared from about 300 per day last year to more than 2,000 per day in 1995.

Second, it has been grass-roots community groups whose efforts have succeeded in bringing the INS citizenship exams to the applicants. We at El Concilio are proud that we have been able to work with the INS to conduct exams here in Ventura County. Conducting the exams locally saves taxpayer money: Our nonprofit Citizenship Project volunteers screen applications and handle fingerprinting, photographs and applicant notification of appointments. The INS thus only receives prepaid, completed applications from qualified applicants. El Concilio provides the INS with free office space to conduct the exams in an efficient and low-cost method. Everyone benefits.

El Concilio is honored to help people realize their dream of American citizenship.

MARCOS VARGAS

Oxnard

Marcos Vargas is executive director of El Concilio del Condado de Ventura.