After my first try on hive mind in 2.2, I turned to a xenophobic / fanatic materialist empire in 2.2.4. At around 2360 I had over 3000 pops (30+ planets) and finally completed the ascension path which took 10 years.
Then I realized that the system still consider my major species (machine) and my previously-assembled synths (1000+ pops) and the Awakened pops (from In Limbo event) are considered as different species, making them xenos, thus only have residence but not full citizenship.
Then I realized that the system still consider my major species (machine) and my previously-assembled synths (1000+ pops) and the Awakened pops (from In Limbo event) are considered as different species, making them xenos, thus only have residence but not full citizenship.