Since the 2012 elections, discussion of U.S. immigration policy reform has ramped up significantly.

Much of the conversation is driven by different proposals regarding the “path to citizenship,” which would establish an attainable process for transitioning undocumented immigrants to documented U.S. residents and citizens.

In late June, the U.S. Senate passed a comprehensive—albeit controversial—immigration reform bill. Whether the House follows suit remains to be seen, but the Senate move is viewed as historic and somewhat of a victory for those rooting for reform.

With an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living and working in the U.S., credit union leaders who think strategically about membership growth can’t afford to ignore the important step many Americans are pushing their legislators to take.

Credit unions, like many American businesses and organizations, stand to benefit tremendously from an attainable path to citizenship. In the most basic sense, credit unions will find a completely new market for lending products.

The process of obtaining U.S. residency and then citizenship is likely to remain long and costly, and prospective members will be looking for ways to fund the many stages of the immigration naturalization process.