USCIS to Honor Veterans During Naturalization Ceremonies
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WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will highlight service members, military spouses and veterans taking the Oath of Allegiance to become U.S. citizens at naturalization ceremonies in honor of Veterans Day. In all, USCIS will welcome more than 3,000 new citizens at nearly 40 naturalization ceremonies taking place across the country Nov. 7-14.
Since September 2002, USCIS has naturalized more than 102,000 service members, including individuals serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, South Korea, Germany, Japan and elsewhere.
“On Veterans Day, we honor the men and women who have pledged to defend our nation, as we cherish the freedoms we enjoy because of the sacrifices of our service members, and their families,” USCIS Director León Rodríguez said. “Today, we honor those who pledged to defend our nation before they were even citizens of our nation.”
USCIS’ observances will feature a naturalization ceremony at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia, on Nov. 10 -- the 239th anniversary of the founding of the Marine Corps. During this event, Rodríguez will administer the Oath of Allegiance and present the candidates for naturalization.
Other highlights include ceremonies at:
- Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona. on Nov. 7.
- Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 7.
- Everglades National Park in Homestead, Florida, on Nov. 10.
- Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada on Nov. 11.
In addition, five recruits will become new citizens at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego through the Naturalization at Basic Training Initiative. Developed with the Department of Defense, this program allows enlisted service members to complete the naturalization process during basic training.
USCIS invites new citizens and their families and friends to share their experiences from the ceremonies through Twitter and other social media, using the hashtag #newUScitizen.
For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit www.uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis), Facebook (/uscis), and the USCIS blog The Beacon.