WASHINGTON - It's going to cost more for immigrants to become American citizens. <br>
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Federal immigration officials plan to raise the fees for citizenship and other immigration services. <br>
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A spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration Services says the increases will help pay for additional security costs. Officials must now check names and fingerprints against intelligence databases. <br>
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Advocates for immigrants say the fee increase shows there's a problem with the way the agency is funded. They say Congress should set aside money for the agency, which is now funded by the fees alone. <br>
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Currently, a permanent resident pays $260, plus $50 for fingerprinting, to become a citizen. The amount of the increase hasn't been decided.