By Debbie McGoldrick

Becoming American

THERE were more than 150 naturalization ceremonies across the country on July 4 which provided for 18,000 permanent residents to become new citizens of the U.s.

According to a press release from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), the agency received 392,302 applications for naturalization between October 1 of last year and April 30 of this one. That’s a 15% increase over the same period a year earlier.

“USCIS is on target to meet the administration’s goal of achieving a 6-month processing standard for all immigration benefit applications by October 1, 2006. During fiscal year 2005, more than 600,000 new Americans were sworn-in as U.S. citizens in ceremonies around the nation,” added the release.

The agency also issued a fact sheet about naturalization that makes for interesting reading. Here are some of the highlights:

*Since President George W. Bush signed the Expedited Naturalization Executive Order on July 3, 2002, USCIS has naturalized more than 20,000 service members. In all, more than 35,000 service members have filed for expedited naturalization.

*During fiscal years 2004 and 2005, more than 7,500 and 6,000 service members became United States citizens, respectively.

*In October 2004, USCIS began hosting the first overseas military naturalization ceremonies since the Korean War. During fiscal year 2005, 1,006 service members became citizens while serving on active duty outside of the United States.

*There are currently more than 40,000 members of the U.S. military who are eligible to apply for naturalization.

*Approximately 11.3 million naturalized citizens live in the United States.

*Nearly eight million immigrants living in the United States are eligible for naturalization.

*Sixty-five percent of all new citizens naturalized during FY 2004 (537,151) call California, New York, Florida, Texas, Illinois, or New Jersey home.

*More than half (54%) of all new citizens naturalized during FY 2004 were women.

*Asia is the leading region of birth among persons naturalizing. Forty percent of new citizens naturalized during FY 2004 were born in Asian countries.

*Home to more than 63,830 new citizens, Mexico is the leading country of birth among persons who naturalized during FY 2004.

The Oath of Allegiance that naturalized citizens must take at the swearing-in ceremony is as follows:

“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation of purpose or evasion; so help me God.”

For more information on becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen, visit the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov.