Secretary Napolitano today participated in a naturalization ceremony for 137 naturalization candidates from 43 countries held in New York City. Secretary Napolitano administered the Oath of Allegiance and delivered remarks to the citizenship candidates and their families and friends in attendance.
The new citizens naturalized during today’s ceremony hailed from: Albania, Antigua-Barbuda, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Canada, People's Republic Of China, Cote D'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Fiji, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Mali, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, St. Lucia, Taiwan, The Gambia, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vietnam and Yemen.
The United States has a strong tradition as a welcoming nation, and DHS is committed to promoting the lawful immigration process, expediting administration of immigration services, and promoting the integration of lawful immigrants into American society. Over the past four-and-a-half years, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has naturalized nearly 3 million Americans, including thousands of men and women who serve in the United States Armed Forces.
For more information on Secretary Napolitano’s trip to New York city, visit here and here.