The federal government is approving U.S. citizenship requests at the quickest rate in a decade, dispensing with a backlog attributed to the coronavirus pandemic and a tighter approval regime that reached its zenith under former President Donald Trump, a report Tuesday sets out.

Naturalization ceremonies typically spike ahead of a an election, the New York Times report makes clear, before detailing the rise in approval numbers for citizenship that also confers with it full voting rights.

Immigration analyst Xiao Wang, chief executive of Boundless, a company that reportedly uses government data to analyze immigration trends while offering services to immigrants who seek professional help in navigating the application process, told the outlet the rush comes with commensurate outcomes:

The surge in naturalization efficiency isn’t just about clearing backlogs; it’s potentially reshaping the electorate, merely months before a pivotal election.

Every citizenship application could be a vote that decides Senate seats or even the presidency.

(Read more from “‘Reshaping the Electorate’: Biden-Harris Admin Granting Citizenship at Fastest Rate in a Decade” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr