National Citizenship Day

For Immediate Release* Media Contact:
October 4, 2006 Lilia G. Alcaraz (916) 780-6600


CITIZENSHIP DAY WORKSHOP

TOCCHINI & ASSOCIATES PC AND LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS WILL WORK WITH IMMIGRANT LEADERS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN OFFERING A FREE CITIZENSHIP WORKSHOP IN SACRAMENTO, CA

Citizenship day workshop to be held on October 21, 2006 at Cesar Chavez Park

SACRAMENTO – Tocchini & Associates PC and League of United Latin American Citizens ("LULAC"), joined representatives from community based organizations and a diverse group of immigrant and labor leaders to announce a new initiative designed to keep pressure on lawmakers to enact comprehensive immigration reform.

This new initiative is about building on the massive marches and peaceful protests across the country. It is about taking our efforts to the next level by making certain that our voices are heard and our presence continues to be felt in this important debate. It is about ensuring that our lawmakers do not allow this historic opportunity to pass without the enactment of comprehensive immigration reform.

In an effort to build on the strength and importance of the recent rallies and massive marches, Tocchini & Associates PC will work with LULAC to create a free citizenship day workshop, and any proceeds received for the event will be given to LULAC for their nonprofit activities associated with assisting immigrants. The citizenship workshop is designed to provide comprehensive assistance to immigrants wishing to take their first steps toward naturalized U.S. citizenship. According to the department of Homeland Security, eight million individuals are currently eligible for citizenship.

“Nowadays, the immigrant community is extremely powerful in this country, and we can show this power in many different ways, but the best way to show it, the best way to make a transcendental change in this country is through citizenship and voting,” said Karla Avila, director of the New Americans Initiative. “That’s why I want to call on all legal permanent residents today to become US citizens, register to vote and exert that wonderful right that this country has granted to you, the right to vote.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, “The heated political debate over immigration has sent foreigners who legally live in the U.S. scrambling in record numbers to find out how to become citizens.” In fact, “last month, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the federal agency that processes immigration requests, received a record 6.6 million hits on its Web site," says USCIS spokesman Christopher Bentley.

Tocchini & Associates PC will hold a citizenship workshop in Sacramento, CA on October 21, 2006, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at Cesar Chavez Plaza Park (910 I Street).

During the workshop, legal permanent residents seeking to become citizens will have the opportunity to receive important guidance and advice. Applicants will receive assistance with filling out all necessary documents required by the office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and have their photographs taken.

In addition, individuals attending the workshop will receive advice and information on future steps in the naturalization process, including interviews, English proficiency exams and civics tests administered by the USCIS.

This workshop will provide a meaningful and critical step toward U.S. citizenship for thousands of men, women and children across the country, so that they too can fully share in the rights that citizens enjoy and also help shoulder the responsibilities. It will allow these men and women to better protect their families and to better advocate for the best interests of our immigrant community and our country.