CET Immigration and Citizenship Program

Santa Clara County's immigrant population exceeds 600,000 people, many of whom have not completed a high school education, and face multiple social justice and economic barriers. In this demographic, a lack of literacy and employment skills severely limits cultural integration, employment opportunities, and economic self-sufficiency. The CET Immigration and Citizenship Program has effectively assessed and addressed the needs of this often overlooked population. It has provided edcuation on citizenship and immigration and legal services to more than 100,000 immigrants from numerous communities for more than twenty-five years. CET continues to be a highly regarded community resource for citizenship and literacy education. CET's ESL Citizenship and Spanish literacy classes address the lack of education in a population often relegated to the margins in employment and the community. By extension, they address a larger community need for skilled workers, active parents, and a population that prizes education and economic self-sufficiency.