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The origin of IACO dates back to 1994 when the “Immigration and Citizenship Program” was established as a division of the Hispanic Information Center of Passaic (HIC), in order to assist the community in their immigration and naturalization needs.

HIC, a 501 (c)(3) organization, has provided many social services to the community, through a variety of programs.  Since it was founded, in 1972, HIC has served a disadvantaged population of Passaic County, which has the highest percentage of immigrants in the State of New Jersey.  The decision to create the “Immigration and Citizenship Program” stemmed from the increased demand for help concerning immigration matters.

The success of that program was such that a mobile unit was used to take the program to different communities in the States of New Jersey and New York, counting on the cooperation of other community agencies, schools, churches and ethnic organizations. 

In 1997, as a result of the impact caused by the immigration and welfare laws reform, an alliance with seven 501(c) (3) agencies was created, being coordinated by the Hispanic Directors Association of New Jersey (HDANJ), to provide services to the community.  This coalition was named “Citizenship Project of the Hispanic Directors Association.”  Since its foundation, in 1991, the Hispanic Directors Association of New Jersey has grown into a more effective and influential organization.  It is now strongly supported by 27 member agencies.  A recent survey reports that HDANJ agencies now provide direct services to some 600,000 clients.

Under these new circumstances of working in consortium, it was necessary to modify the administrative and operative structure of the program for more efficient performance.  An independent headquarter was established and the assistance of professional and specialized personnel was secured.  The economic resources to defray the cost of this operation originated from the American citizenship campaign of the State of New Jersey, through the New Jersey Immigration Policy Network.

Between March 1997 and December 1999, when the State Campaign was over, assistance was provided to thousands of immigrants to become American citizens, especially among the most vulnerable persons such as the elderly and the handicapped.

At the conclusion of the State American citizenship campaign and, consequently, the termination of the economic resources for the “Citizenship Project of the Hispanic Directors Association”, the members involved in the project were convinced of the importance of this kind of service for the stabilization of the society in general.  As a result, IACO was established, in September 1999, to guarantee the continuity of such services.  IACO was constituted as a nonprofit organization under the criteria and requirements of 501 (c) (3) with an independent board, keeping the same mission and goals that have inspired it throughout its ten years of development, and with the same spirit of cooperation toward federal, state and local entities as well as to the other agencies and organizations that serve the community.