Beyond Basics: How Comprehensive Programming at Community Center for Immigrants Helps Refugees Achieve Citizenship
By Emily Gordy, Volunteer Writer
As recent updates to the Naturalization Civics Test made the path to citizenship for United States immigrants more complex, one local Wisconsin organization remains committed to defying the odds.
Community Center for Immigrants, a Milwaukee-based nonprofit providing legal services and education for refugees and other immigrant individuals and families, saw marked success even amidst a changing landscape, with 101 clients obtaining citizenship in 2025 – an increase of nearly 50% compared to 2024.
CCI Executive Director Caitlyn Lewis attributes this win to the unique, nuanced programming that the nonprofit provides. “Legal services are infused into our curriculum,” Lewis says. “[We’re] not just practicing the reading, practicing writing.” Instead, CCI courses focus on the meaning behind potential immigration interview questions, rather than memorizing specific questions and answers.
“Immigration officers have the freedom to really see if [applicants] understand the essence of a question,” Lewis says – and it is in the subtleties of a non-native language where many interviewees stumble.
This intricate knowledge of the naturalization process imbues all of CCI’s operations, which Lewis runs alongside a small staff of educators, legal experts, and volunteers. In addition to educational programs, CCI offers robust legal support throughout the citizenship journey, from introductory consultations to application assistance, case management, and interview representation. The nonprofit is a U.S. Department of Justice Recognized Organization, allowing specified employees to provide immigration legal services and representation in front of Department of Homeland Security officers.
It’s a programming mix that works: the average pass rate for CCI students’ citizenship tests hovers around 96%. “With the right support, students will be successful,” Lewis says.
The support CCI offers to its students extends beyond the classroom, too. In interviews with their clientele, the majority of whom are Burmese Rohingya refugees alongside others hailing from Sudan, Somalia, and the Republic of the Congo, Lewis and her team identified that many struggled to learn due to untreated mental illness.
“We have to ask very invasive questions when we’re doing green cards and citizenship interviews and we learn a lot about their trauma,” Lewis says. “It put us in this unique point…we’ve got to do something about this.” Now, CCI partners with local healthcare providers like Aurora Health Care to provide referrals and advocate at doctor’s appointments.
By taking a comprehensive approach to the learning experience, Lewis says that CCI is better prepared to tackle new challenges like the October 2025 citizenship test updates.
“When the new test was announced, we had this huge influx of students,” Lewis says. The program’s current and upcoming 2026 sessions address the changes, which include an expanded question bank and a higher passing requirement, by continuing to focus on semantics versus simple memorization.
Looking forward to the year ahead, Lewis emphasized the importance of remaining agile and continuing to incorporate innovative learning solutions. Of particular interest to the student population is digital literacy; when CCI introduced introductory computer classes, Lewis says attendance “skyrocketed.” A subsequent laptop giveaway program provided through Wisconsin Literacy has further bolstered learning opportunities, allowing students to attend classes virtually and on a more flexible basis.
“Wisconsin Literacy is one of the key reasons why we’ve been able to be successful,” Lewis says. “Besides the financial aspect, it’s also been the support and networking…if we didn’t have Wisconsin Literacy, I don’t know if we’d be this big right now.”
While CCI and its students continue to face challenges inherent to the dynamic citizenship process, Lewis remains confident that the organization’s holistic combination of education and legal services, alongside the genuine care and connection found among the community, will sustain successful outcomes.
“You never know what’s coming down the pipe that day, but the need is there,” Lewis says. “That’s why collaboration with others has been so important.”
