Today, U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, announced $300,000 in federal funding for civics instruction and citizen application assistance at Laredo College. The funding is awarded through the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

“As a son of immigrants who worked for years to become U.S. citizens, I have seen firsthand the challenges that immigrants often face in becoming naturalized,” said Dr. Cuellar. “In Congress, I fought for additional funding for the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program to help simplify the process for individuals on the path to becoming American citizens. I am pleased to see Laredo College selected as a recipient of this grant and look forward to seeing its benefits in the Laredo community. Thank you to Dr. Minita Ramirez, President of Laredo College, for working with me to secure these funds.”

The funding will allow Laredo College to offer programming on civics instruction and the U.S. citizenship application process and help lawfully present immigrants through the naturalization process. The programming will benefit more than 200 individuals in the Laredo community over two years.

As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, Dr. Cuellar secured significant funding wins for USCIS in the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, including $25 million for the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program. Dr. Cuellar also successfully secured $133.4 million for USCIS to process refugee applications efficiently and $109.6 million for USCIS’s E-Verify program.

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