DR-immigrant-sworn-in
Newly sworn in as a US citizens, Alvaro Lopez, left, originally from Colombia, and Carlos Jose Leonardo, right, originally from the Dominican Republic, celebrate after taking the oath of citizenship during a ceremony for new US citizens February 16, 2017 in Newark, New Jersey. Eighty-nine applicants from thirty-seven countries received their certificates of citizenship. (Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)

By NAN Staff Writer

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Aug. 18, 2017: As the Donald Trump administration and his congressional supporters look to lower the number of legal residents admitted through family sponsorship into the U.S., new Department of Homeland Security data analyzed by News Americas  show that when it comes to naturalization among Caribbean immigrants, nationals from the Dominican Republic are the leaders this fiscal year.

DHS data show a whopping 11,129 immigrants from the DR choose to become naturalized citizens for Fiscal Year 2017, allowing them a chance to vote in future elections.

They were followed by Cubans with 10,281 taking the oath of US citizenship in the 2017 fiscal year.

Other Caribbean nationals lagged behind significantly on naturalization rates this year. Jamaicans were the third largest group with 5,493 followed by Haitians at fourth with 4,848.

Only 1,703 Guyanese became US citizens this past fiscal year while just 1,666 Trinidad & Tobago nationals took the leap to rank them at fifth and sixth, respectively for the region.

The numbers were significantly less for other countries as follows:

Belize – 328

St. Lucia – 256

Barbados – 225

Dominica – 202

Grenada – 214

The Bahamas – 178

St. Vincent & The Grenadines – 157

Antigua & Barbuda – 126

St. Kitts & Nevis – 120

Suriname – 42