Dodge City ? A group supporting Hispanics has launched an effort in Dodge City to convince legal immigrants to apply for U.S. citizenship and become fully involved in this country’s political process.

The Regional Latino Affairs Council will bring speakers to Dodge City on Sunday to discuss what it takes to become a U.S. citizen, said Elva Solis, a member of the group.

Permanent residents have green cards that allow them to work in the U.S., but they remain citizens of their home countries. If they don’t take the final step of applying for citizenship, they generally remain unable to vote.

About 2.3 million of the 8 million legal, permanent residents in the U.S. are from Mexico, said Michele Waslin of the National Council of La Raza, a Washington, D.C.-based Hispanic advocacy group.

National Latino groups and other advocacy organizations say it is important to the ongoing immigration debate, as well other political issues, for those people to become citizens and vote.

The Dodge City push to promote citizenship is part of a national effort kicked off on July 1, called Democracy Summer. The effort hopes to get a million new citizens from legal, permanent residents, Waslin said.

Getting Hispanics to participate would counter the “racial animosity” that has crept into the immigration debate, said Brent Wilkes, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based League of United Latin American Citizens.

To successfully apply for U.S. citizenship, legal permanent residents generally must have command of the English language and know basics of U.S. history, among other things.

But many don’t go through the process because they are satisfied with just being able to work, Solis said. Others might hope to return to their native country someday and aren’t interested in becoming a citizen of this country, she said.