An expert predicts that Democrats aim to increase their voter base by naturalizing thousands of immigrants, according to a report.

The motivation behind clearing the backlog of naturalization applications could be to gain thousands of new voters before the election.

"Lora Ries, director of the Heritage Foundation's Border Security and Immigration Center, stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that gaining voters is the true motive behind a push to naturalize more U.S. citizens. She explained that while naturalization is presented as the ultimate goal, it is always used as a political tactic to acquire more citizens who are assumed to vote for the party promoting it."

The USIS is currently processing naturalization applications at a speed not seen in a decade, with an average processing time of 4.9 months in the first nine months of the current fiscal year.

Since 2013 and 2014, the pace of new naturalizations in the US has not been seen, with the process taking approximately 11.5 months for an applicant to gain citizenship. However, the current pace is much faster than just three years ago.

This year's election may be influenced by the accelerated rate of naturalizations, as thousands of new potential voters are becoming citizens each week, according to the report.

"Xiao Wang, CEO of Boundless, stated to the New York Times that the increase in naturalization efficiency isn't only about reducing backlogs but could also change the electorate before the upcoming election. Every citizenship application could potentially influence the outcome of Senate seats or even the presidency."

"Ries stated that this administration has a tendency to cut corners in any situation that requires thorough vetting, ultimately granting immigration benefits to individuals who should not be receiving them."

In 1996, the Clinton administration faced scrutiny over its motivations for accelerating the naturalization process of U.S. citizens, as Ries pointed out.

The Clinton administration aimed to revoke citizenship from approximately 5,000 immigrants who were mistakenly naturalized during a drive to expedite immigration applications, as reported in a May 1997 New York Times article.

The Citizenship USA initiative, backed by the White House, faced criticism for allowing thousands of criminal migrants to become citizens and accusations that the administration was trying to boost its chances in the 1996 election by padding the electorate with favorable voters.

The Office of the Inspector General of the United States Department of Justice later admitted that the initiative had flaws, but asserted that the White House's involvement did not lead to INS lowering standards or changing procedures to increase the number of naturalized citizens in time for the 1996 election in order to influence their voting decisions.

Ries emphasized the importance of carefully vetting applications, as it is the final chance for authorities to examine a migrant's background before granting them a benefit that is rarely reversed.

The spokesperson stated that USCIS personnel have resolved processing issues and implemented new procedures to enhance efficiency while maintaining the integrity and security of the immigration system. Additionally, the agency is continually examining regulatory, policy, and procedural options to streamline processing times and reduce backlogs.

The White House declined to comment on a Planet Chronicle Digital request.