Citizenship backlog to curb Latino vote

The unprecedented 1.4 million surge in U.S. citizenship applicants won't translate into an equal number of new voters come November's presidential election because of a processing backlog.

But U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officials said Monday that the agency is hiring more staff and pressing the FBI for more efficient background checks and that delays of weeks just to open mail are behind them.

The marchers were part of a Los Angeles-based campaign called Ya Es Hora, or It's Now Time, whose intent is to encourage legal permanent residents to apply for citizenship. Many were organized by ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now.

The goal of 1 million applications in a year was reached.

"Now our attention is to make sure those who are citizens register to vote and then vote," said Arturo Vargas, executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials..