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  4. Stories from the Archives

Stories from the Archives

Read the stories of people and programs that make up federal immigration history, learn about the most interesting items in our library collection, or get tips on researching in agency records.

Type a topic or time period into the “Search by Content” box below or browse through the articles.  

A reproduction of Guy Lombardo's Certificate of Naturalization
I'm an American
Among the most important of USCIS’s missions is promoting citizenship instruction and fostering civic assimilation. Today the agency accomplishes this mission through a variety of print, multimedia, and digital resources, such as the online Citizenship Resource Center. USCIS’s current efforts follow a long history of Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) citizenship awareness campaigns.
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Picture of Old building with workers and people standing outside.
“Proceed Instantly:” the Bureau of Immigration and the U.S.’s First Act of World War I
It’s a little-known fact that the Bureau of Immigration played a key role in the U.S.’s first act of World War I.
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Picture of sample Green Card
The Colorful History of the Green Card
In January 2023, USCIS released a redesigned Permanent Resident Card or “Green Card.” This design contains state-of-the-art technology, including holographic images and optically variable ink. Visually, this Green Card retains much of the previous version’s design (PDF, 1.69 MB), which also featured a red, white, and blue flag on a green background.
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Image of a old Certificate of Naturalization
History of the Certificate of Naturalization (1906-1956)
The Certificate of Naturalization is perhaps the most important of the three naturalization records usually found in U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) historic Certificate Files (“C-Files”) because Certificates of Naturalization help protect naturalized persons’ rights as U.S. citizens and the U.S. government from false claims to American citizenship.  This study surveys the development of Certificates of Naturalization during the first half of the 20th Century.
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Poster with text - Americans All! Victory Liberty Loan. With a woman dressed as Lady Liberty on the poster.
The Immigrant Army: Immigrant Service Members in World War I
As the American military mobilized to enter World War I in 1917, its ranks filled with a cross-section of American society, including immigrants from around the world.
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Headshot of Director Jaddou
History of Women in Federal Immigration and Naturalization Service
When Congress created the U.S. Immigration Bureau in 1891, few women had the right to vote, and many people believed a woman’s place was in the home. In 1893, only 16 women worked for the immigration service, most as cleaners and laundrywomen. Fast forward more than 130 years and approximately 55% of the agency’s workforce are women. In 2021, Ur Mendoza Jaddou was confirmed by the senate to become USCIS’ first permanent female director.
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Image of a old Certificate of Naturalization
Why Some C-Files May Lack a Declaration of Intention
Reasons That Some C-Files Do Not Include a Declaration of IntentionUSCIS Genealogy records requesters sometimes discover the Certificate File ("C-File") they received does not contain a Declaration of Intention record. The Declarations are not missing. Rather, these C-Files usually document “one-paper” naturalizations (so called because only a Petition for Naturalization was filed).
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Capra receives the Legion of Merit on Nov. 29, 1943.
Naturalized World War I Soldier Frank Capra
After the United States entered the First World War, Congress passed the Naturalization Act of May 9, 1918, to expedite naturalization for alien members of the U.S. armed forces. Congress wanted to reward foreign-born service members and encourage immigrant enlistments.
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Man sitting at a large desk in front of large room with many people standing to take the oath.
Military Naturalization During WWII
After the United States entered World War II Congress acted to provide for the expedited naturalization of aliens serving honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces.
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Picture of Family of Hungarian refugees leaving Camp Kilmer, NJ.
Operation Safe Haven: The Hungarian Refugee Crisis of 1956
In November 1956, a failed revolt against Communism in Hungary spurred the greatest refugee crisis in Europe since the end of World War II. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his administration, including the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), moved swiftly in response. Through the hard work of INS employees as well as the State Department, the military, and civilian volunteers, over 30,000 refugees resettled in the United States over an eight-month period. The success of “Operation Safe Haven”, set a precedent for the U.S.
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