Some Eligible Immigrants Say No to US Citizenship

The new version of the Permanent Resident Card, more commonly known as a green card. The Homeland Security Department appears to be preparing for an increase in the number of immigrants living illegally in the country to apply for work permits after President Barack Obama announces his long-promised plans for executive actions on immigration reform later this year. USCIS confirmed to The Associated Press that it has published a draft contract proposal to buy the card stock needed to make work permits and Permanent Resident Cards. (AP Photo/US Citizenship and Immigration Services)

MIAMI—More than an estimated 8.5 million immigrants living in the U.S. were eligible for citizenship in 2012. Yet fewer than 800,000 took the leap, according to the latest Department of Homeland Security numbers.

If statistics hold, nearly 60 percent of the rest eventually will — a percentage that has been slowly rising.

Still, there are many holdouts. Immigrants give a variety of explanations as to why. The most common reasons include the cost, a lack of English, a desire to return to their home country, and the potential loss of benefits from their native land. Still others say they simply don’t see the need.

Last year, Mexicans made up the largest single group of new citizens, at about 13 percent.