Cedillo's Senate Bill 1 would establish an Office of Immigrant Affairs within the state Department of Community Services. The office would be responsible for helping immigrants receive appropriate assistance, through a resource list and referral process that expedites their integration into the civic life of California. The proposal does not enjoy 100 percent support. "I just don't buy -- nor do I think many citizens in California will -- that this is a good use of taxpayer resources," said Thomas Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, a Washington, D.C.-based conservative watchdog group.

As far as Cedillo goes, he has lead a nine-year legislative effort to allow illegal immigrants to apply for driver's licenses and this has made him a polarizing figure. Fitton is suspicious SB 1 would not distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants and "undermine the enforcement of our nation's immigration laws." But Reshma Shamasunder, director of the California Immigrant Policy Center, said the debate should not escalate into a "discussion about the undocumented." "The reality is we have a vast number of legal immigrants in our state," she said. "And we need to do everything we can to support them for the well-being of California's future." To be eligible for citizenship, an immigrant has to have been legally in the United States for five years or more or have been here three years and married to a citizen.

In California, the primary state and local agencies serving immigrants and assisting with citizenship preparation are the state Department of Education, public schools and other agencies that contract with the state to provide educational services. "They may be doing some good things, but there's no coordination," Shamasunder said. A study released in 2002 by the Urban Institute concluded 53 percent of eligible immigrants in California had become naturalized citizens, compared to 58 percent nationwide. One of the biggest factors, according to the study, is the ability to speak English. The challenges are expected to increase with the citizenship test set to get more difficult. There's also a proposal to increase fees from about $400 to $675. The California Legislature, reversing a sharp decline in naturalization funding in recent years, voted last year to send $2.8 million to community groups that steer immigrants into adult education classes and help them fill out applications.