WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will welcome more than 27,000 new citizens in more than 160 naturalization ceremonies between Sept. 17 and Sept. 23 in honor of Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. During this week—also known as Constitution Week—museums, historic and public libraries, government landmarks and national park sites will provide the backdrop for our celebration of citizenship and the achievements of our newest U.S. citizens.
“U.S. citizenship is defined by what we have in common: equal rights, responsibilities, and opportunities,” said USCIS Director León Rodríguez. “As we celebrate our Constitution this week, more than 27,000 new U.S. citizens will now be able to vote, volunteer, participate, and become engaged in issues that are important to them and their families.”
An ongoing partnership with the National Park Service and an agreement with the Institute of Museum and Library Services allow USCIS to showcase some of the nation’s prominent landmarks and important community institutions during this year’s Constitution Day and Citizenship Day celebration.
National park sites hosting ceremonies span the country from the Glacier Point at Yosemite National Park in Yosemite, California, to the Battleship North Carolina in Wilmington, North Carolina. Other landmarks hosting naturalization ceremonies include the Schaumburg Township District Library in Schaumburg, Illinois, the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri, and the Morristown National Historical Park in Morristown, New Jersey.
In addition, USCIS Deputy Director Lori Scialabba will administer the Oath of Allegiance to 40 candidates at a special ceremony on Angel Island in San Francisco, California on September 17. From 1910 to 1940, Angel Island was the site of an Immigration Station that functioned as the West Coast equivalent of Ellis Island.
For a full list of featured 2014 Constitution Day and Citizenship Day naturalization ceremonies and landmark locations, visitwww.uscis.gov/news.
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day is celebrated each year on Sept. 17 in remembrance of the signing of the Constitution in 1787. Congress first underscored the significance of U.S. citizenship in 1940 when it designated the third Sunday in May as “I Am an American Day.” In 1952, Congress shifted the date to Sept. 17 and renamed it “Citizenship Day.” Congress changed the designation of this day to "Constitution Day and Citizenship Day" in 2004.
USCIS invites new citizens, their families and friends to share their experiences from the ceremonies via social media using the hashtag #newUScitizen.
For more information about USCIS and our programs, visit http://www.uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis), Facebook(/uscis) and the USCIS blog The Beacon.
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