Immigration Newsroom

USCIS TO Welcome More Than 15,000 New Citizens During 4th Of July Week

Ceremonies to Celebrate Citizenship, Celebrate America Washington, DC – More than 15,000 men, women and children from throughout the United States will celebrate Independence Day a little differently this year. That’s because they’ll raise their right hands and become America’s newest citizens during special July 4th ceremonies. Held at locations across the country (see below), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will commemorate the United States’ 229th birthday during a weeklong schedule of citizenship ceremonies designed to “Celebrate Citizenship, Celebrate America.” “Every Fourth of July we are reminded of the sacred responsibilities and privileges we enjoy as Americans,” said USCIS Acting Director Michael Petrucelli.

“Over the next week, USCIS will introduce more than 15,000 new citizens to our American values of life, liberty and freedom, and allow them to truly celebrate Independence Day for the first time.” In addition, as part of its continuing efforts to make naturalization ceremonies as meaningful as possible, USCIS has produced a video highlighting the privileges and responsibilities associated with taking the Oath of Allegiance through a historic photographic perspective. USCIS will unveil this video nationwide during the July 4th ceremonies. Each year, USCIS welcomes more than 450,000 citizens during naturalization ceremonies across the United States.

Included in those numbers are more than 10,000 service members who have naturalized through an expedited process since the beginning of the war on terrorism. For more information regarding immigration services, please call 1-800-375-5283 or visit www.uscis.gov.</P2>