World | USA 1M New Citizens Break Century Record Fee increase helps immigration service clear huge backlog By Rob Quinn Posted Nov 7, 2008 3:49 AM CST Copied An Immigration and Naturalization service is held at Comerica Park to swear in 100 individuals, including Detroit Tigers' Placido Polanco, as citizens, last summer in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson) Over a million new American citizens took the oath of allegiance last year—the highest number since the government began keeping records a century ago, reports CNN. The number of people going through the naturalization process has been steadily climbing for decades. The clearing of a major 2007 backlog—along with a push by Hispanic media for citizenship for eligible residents—helped boost the numbers. Read These Next Bodies found at lifetime felon's former home. The Amazon-USPS partnership could soon be coming to a close. Gene Simmons says Congress has to fix the radio business model. Pamela Anderson would rather not be known as Pamela Anderson. Report an error