Hispanic activists say that more than 8 million permanent residents have not become U.S. citizens, and so they continue to be unprotected from aggressive policies against immigrants and are losing political influence.

“Every person who qualifies to be a permanent resident and does not apply for citizenship should be aware of the damage he’s individually causing to the entire immigrant community by not exercising all his rights as a citizen,” Juan Jose Gutierrez, an attorney and immigrant rights advocate in Los Angeles, told Efe.