Last week, 775 people from 63 countries were sworn in as U.S. citizens during a naturalization ceremony in Riverside. Messages displayed at the event encouraged new citizens to exercise their right to vote. This ceremony is part of a nationwide trend of expedited citizenship approvals, with the Biden administration processing applications faster than in the last decade.

While immigration officials claim the increase is due to efforts to clear a backlog exacerbated by the Trump administration and the pandemic, critics argue that this surge is politically motivated. Former President Trump and Republican allies have long asserted that Democrats are using immigration as a strategy to gain votes. Recent efforts to introduce legislation requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration have failed, fueling further controversy.

Despite assurances from the Department of Homeland Security that the timing has no political agenda, the rapid pace of new naturalizations just before upcoming elections raises concerns about the potential political implications of these new voters.