New U.S. citizens take their oath of citizenship during a naturalization ceremony in the National Archives Rotunda on Sept. 15, 2023, | Photo via Wikimedia Commons
WASHINGTON–About 11,000 new citizens participating in more than 195 naturalization ceremonies between June 28 and July 5 were welcomed as the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) celebrated Independence Day.
USCIS said these ceremonies demonstrate the government’s commitment to welcoming immigrants and promoting U.S. citizenship benefits for all eligible. In fiscal year 2023, USCIS welcomed 878,500 new U.S. citizens. So far, in FY 2024, USCIS has welcomed 589,400 new citizens and made significant progress in reducing pending naturalization queues.
USCIS celebrates July 4 annually as a tradition – the day the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776, declaring the 13 American colonies a new nation: the United States of America. USCIS commemorates this occasion by hosting special Independence Day-themed naturalization ceremonies across the globe. USCIS will honor and recognize the commitment and contribution of the newest U.S. citizens through these ceremonies.
“At USCIS we are privileged to administer the Oath of Allegiance to thousands of new citizens during the Independence Day holiday,” said USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou. “These new citizens add diversity and character to our great nation, and we are committed to helping all who are eligible to experience the freedoms and liberties we enjoy as U.S. citizens.”
This year’s Independence Day activities included special naturalization ceremonies across the country, including close to the nation’s capital. On July 4, Deputy Assistant to the President Blas Nuñez-Neto participated in a ceremony at George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Additional Independence Day ceremonies were held nationwide, including at Battleship New Jersey, Gateway Arch National Park in Missouri, and Fort Clatsop, Lewis & Clark National Historic Park, in Oregon.
Since the beginning of the Biden administration, USCIS has taken several steps to support the implementation of Executive Order 14012: Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans.
According to USCIS, it is raising awareness of the contributions naturalized citizens make to the United States through the Outstanding Americans by Choice initiative and providing $12.6 million in grants to immigrant-serving organizations, including the open application period for the Citizenship and Integration Training Academy, a new competitive funding opportunity. Also, USCIS has expanded the Citizenship Ambassador initiative, which helps to amplify immigration information and assistance to many more communities.
Additionally, USCIS has continued to support U.S. military members, veterans, and their families by streamlining the naturalization process and providing dedicated support and specialized services to assist the military community. These include dedicated pages on its website, a unique Military Help Line for service members, fee waivers on most applications, and special handling of military naturalization applications.
After each naturalization ceremony, USCIS encourages new U.S. citizens to share their naturalization stories and photos on social media using the hashtag #NewUSCitizen.
–With Jay Domingo/PDM
