Whereas the United States has been recognized for centuries as the land of opportunity for those seeking economic and educational opportunities as well as freedom from persecution; Whereas immigrants account for 13.6 percent of the population of the United States; Whereas one in eight people in the United States is an immigrant and one in six workers in the United States is an immigrant; Whereas when immigrants arrive in the United States, the vast majority embrace the principles that strengthen our Nation: valuing work ethic, pursuing education, and striving for economic opportunity; Whereas thanks to their reflection of these principles, immigrants have allowed the United States to thrive economically, socially, and culturally, which reinforces and further defines our Nation as the land of opportunity; Whereas the United States must continue to welcome immigrants from across the globe in order to remain standing as a beacon for innovation and advancement; Whereas the United States, by embracing these principles, continues to attract the most talented, diverse, and hardest working immigrants; Whereas the non-citizen population in the United States has been estimated to be 22.5 million in 2017, of which 13.2 million were lawful permanent residents; Whereas of those 13.2 million lawful permanent residents, 9 million are eligible to become naturalized citizens of the United States; Whereas the United States continues to support our immigrant community, particularly those that seek a pathway to citizenship; Whereas naturalization is the formal process by which United States citizenship is granted to immigrants after they have fulfilled requirements under the Immigration and Nationality Act; Whereas U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) welcomes approximately 620,000 to 780,000 citizens each year during naturalization ceremonies; Whereas nearly 70 percent of lawful permanent residents became eligible to naturalize more than 15 years ago