USCIS Welcomes 19,000 New Citizens During Presidents' Day Ceremonies

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will recognize Presidents Day,  welcoming more than 19,000 people as U.S. citizens during 135 naturalization ceremonies across the country Feb. 15 through Feb. 22.

“Throughout our nation’s history, the words and deeds of U.S. presidents have inspired Americans to uphold the ideals of freedom and equality enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States,” said USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas. “For Presidents Day, we welcome 19,000 new citizens who share these same ideals.”

The celebration of citizenship will culminate Feb. 22, the birthday of the first U.S. president, George Washington, with a ceremony at George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate, Museum & Gardens in Mount Vernon, Va.

 Other special events celebrating our presidents include ceremonies on:

               Feb. 15 at the California Veterans Memorial in Sacramento, Calif.;

               Feb. 19 at the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site in Buffalo, N.Y.;

               Feb. 21 at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, S.C.; and

               Feb. 21 at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore.

USCIS Special Naturalization Ceremonies Celebrate Presidents' Day

USCIS celebrates Presidents’ Day by welcoming thousands of new citizens in special naturalization ceremonies across the nation.

Presidents’ Day celebrations run February 15-22. A list of highlighted ceremonies are below:

Date	City, State	Location
Friday, February 15, 2013	Sacramento, CA	California Veterans Memorial
Tuesday, February 19, 2013	Buffalo, NY	Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
Tuesday, February 19, 2013	St. Paul, MN	Macalester College, John Davis Lecture Hall
Wednesday, February 20, 2013	San Diego, CA	Golden Hall
Wednesday, February 20, 2013	Sacramento, CA	Sacramento Convention Center
Wednesday, February 20, 2013	Boston, MA	Museum of African American History
Thursday, February 21, 2013	Parris Island, SC	Marine Corps Recruit Depot
Thursday, February 21, 2013	Baltimore, MD	The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum
Thursday, February 21, 2013	Campbell, CA	Campbell Heritage Theater
Friday, February 22, 2013	Mount Vernon, VA	George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate, Museum & Gardens

First Steps as a U.S. Citizen: Part III

Protecting Your Right to Work

Federal law states that employers cannot discriminate against you because of your citizenship or immigration status or national origin. Employers cannot treat you differently because of your citizenship or because of your place of birth, native language, accent, or appearance. Employers may not demand more or different documents than necessary when completing Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, or treat you differently when using E-Verify based on your citizenship or immigration status or national origin. Employers cannot retaliate against you if you complain about the treatment above.

Replacing Your Certificate of Naturalization

If you lose your Form N-550, Certificate of Naturalization, you may submit Form N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/ Citizenship Document, to USCIS. Follow the instructions on Form N-565 to determine where to submit this application and the current filing fee. You may request Form N-565 by calling the USCIS Forms Line (1-800-870-3676) or by downloading the form at www.uscis.gov/forms. You may use your U.S. passport as evidence of citizenship until you receive your replacement certificate.

First Steps as a U.S. Citizen: Part II

Obtain a Certificate of Citizenship for Your Child

If you have a child who is a lawful permanent resident under the age of 18 on the day you naturalize, he or she may have automatically acquired U.S. citizenship. To obtain evidence of your child’s acquired U.S. citizenship status, you may apply for a U.S. passport from the U.S. Department of State or for a Certificate of Citizenship using Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, from USCIS.

Sponsor Family Members to Come to the United States

As a citizen of the United States, you may petition for certain relatives to become lawful permanent

residents by obtaining what is often referred to as a “Green Card.” To do so, you need to sponsor your

relative and be able to prove that you have enough income or assets to support your relative(s) in the

United States.

USCIS Pairs with Smithsonian Museum to Create Citizenship Preparation Tool

On May 25, 2012 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History launched "Preparing for the Oath: U.S. History and Civics for Citizenship," a Web-based learning tool designed to help immigrants prepare for the civics portion of the naturalization test. This interactive resource features videos and multimedia activities that showcase artifacts from the Smithsonian Institution’s collections and exhibitions.

“Preparing for the Oath is an invaluable addition to the citizenship preparation materials we offer to aspiring citizens,” said USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas. “Using the Smithsonian Institution's extensive collection, this online tool will help individuals learn about the founding principles of American democracy and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in a meaningful way.”

Designed as a self-study tool to prepare for the civics portion of the naturalization test, Preparing for the Oath is based on the 100 civics questions and answers from which USCIS draws when administering the test. Preparing for the Oath is organized into themes related to U.S. history, government and civics, with a short video and self-test on the content of each civics question. Many questions prompt users to explore an artifact from the Smithsonian collection; others have accompanying interactive learning activities. A section for teachers provides materials and strategies to use Preparing for the Oathin a classroom setting.

Preparing for the Oath was launched during a special naturalization ceremony on May 25, at the National Museum of American History, featuring keynote remarks from former Secretary of State Dr. Madeleine K. Albright. USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas administered the Oath of Allegiance to 12 new citizens from 12 countries, including three members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

“The naturalization ceremony and release of Preparing for the Oath highlight the strong partnership between USCIS and the Smithsonian. During the past four years, the two entities have worked together to provide immigrants, adult educators and the public with a better understanding of American history and the naturalization process,” said Marc Pachter, interim director of the museum.

The National Museum of American History collects, preserves and displays American heritage in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military history.