Civic groups, Spanish media push citizenship

updated 8:46 p.m. ET April 14, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO - Community groups and Spanish-language media organizations that helped push a record number of immigrants to become citizens last year said Tuesday that they want to build on that success.

More than 1 million immigrants became U.S. citizens in 2008, an increase of 58 percent from one year earlier, according to the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Immigration Statistics. The groups attributed the increase to a national citizenship campaign and an incentive to apply before a fee increase went into effect.

Coalition partners that include hundreds of grass-roots organizations and Spanish TV and radio outlets said they want this year's "Ya es Hora, Ciudadania!" drive, which means "It's Time, Citizenship!" in English, to help another million legal residents who are eligible for citizenship to go through the process.

"This road is not easy," said Clarissa Martinez, a national campaign director of the Washington-based National Council of La Raza. "We want to demystify the process."

Last year's campaign came from a community response to the massive immigrants' rights mobilizations of 2006 and was followed by a drive to register new citizens to vote.

Organizers said they want to build on that momentum by relaunching the campaign, which kicked off Tuesday through a conference call with civic and civil rights organizations and members of the media. Influential Spanish media companies, such as Univision Communications Inc., Entravision Communications, and impreMedia will spread the message.

Homeland Security statistics show that Latinos made up 44 percent of last year's new citizens. Mexican-born residents topped the list with 231,815 naturalizations.

Martinez called it the "largest and most comprehensive effort to incorporate Latinos as full participants in the American political process."

More from msnbc.com First Read: Around the world in eight days First Read: Palin tour takes page from campaign From cheers to tears near Fort Hood Vicarious thrill: He wants her to be hit on Stimulus tracker: See where millions of dollars went On Twitter: Breaking news updates | Weird and wild

MORE FROM RACE & ETHNICITY

Race & ethnicity Section Front

Public gets peek into 'Little Rock Nine' safe home theGrio: Farewell to Lou Dobbs theGrio: Black soldiers continue to fight for country and equality theGrio: Sosa's new skin reflects ugly mentality Utah girl’s pierced nose brings suspension La. justice quits after interracial  flap NYT: Is N.Y. marathon winner American enough? Race & ethnicity Section Front   Add Race & ethnicity headlines to your news reader: