2007-03-27-皮尤-Growing_Share_of_Immigrants_Choosing_Naturalization_39页_166kb

The Pew Hispanic Center's report found that the naturalization rate among legal foreign-born residents in the U.S. reached 52% in 2005, a 14-percentage-point increase since 1990 and the highest level in decades. This rise reflects increased application rates and a larger immigrant population, with naturalized citizens outnumbering legal non-citizens and unauthorized migrants in 2005. Despite lower rates from Mexico, the fastest-growing sending country, overall trends show greater integration, influenced by factors like English proficiency, education, and longer residence. The rate increase is primarily due to behavioral changes among immigrants rather than changing demographics, indicating a shift toward citizenship as a marker of integration.