This Thursday, Yellowstone National Park will serve as a picturesque backdrop for a special event: the naturalization of 53 new U.S. citizens. The ceremony, hosted in partnership with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming, underscores the significance of U.S. citizenship by holding the event in such a symbolic and majestic setting.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick will administer the Oath of Allegiance to the candidates, who hail from 24 different countries, including Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, and the United Kingdom, among others. These individuals are residents of communities in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana that surround Yellowstone.
USCIS Associate Director of External Affairs Carrie M. Selby and Yellowstone Deputy Superintendent Mike Tranel will deliver congratulatory remarks, celebrating the conclusion of these residents’ journeys to American citizenship. The choice of Yellowstone for the ceremony highlights the connection between new citizens and America’s natural heritage, a tradition of holding naturalization ceremonies in national parks to strengthen the bond between America’s cultural identity and its new citizens.
The ceremony is part of a broader initiative by USCIS to conduct these significant events at locations of historical and cultural importance across the country, enhancing the meaning of becoming an American citizen.
