52 To Be Naturalized As U.S. Citizens At Mount Vernon On July 4

MOUNT VERNON, VA — On the grounds of the first president's home, 52 people will be naturalized as U.S. citizens on July 4.

The naturalization ceremony is typically part of the annual Independence Day festivities at George Washington's Mount Vernon. The ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. on July 4 at the Bowling Green.

To become a U.S. citizen, candidates must go through a 10-step process once they've had a green card for at least five years or three years if married to a U.S. citizen and meet various requirements. The 52 candidates for naturalization come from 42 different countries, and 11 are members of the military. The candidates come from Afghanistan, Algeria, Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, China, Colombia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Serbia, Sierra Leone, South Korea, Tajikistan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Venezuela and Vietnam.

The Mount Vernon naturalization ceremony and others across the country will be held by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services from July 1 to July 8. The Oath of Allegiance will be given to the candidates by Ron Rosenberg, the Washington district director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The ceremony will be presided over by Kimberly Zanotti, the Washington Field Office director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Remarks will be given by Doug Bradburn, president and CEO of George Washington’s Mount Vernon; and Ziad Ojakli, executive vice president of government operations at Boeing. The new citizens will also see a reenactment of George Washington delivering an address about the importance of citizenship.

"Ceremonies at historic landmarks celebrate the conclusion of an immigrant’s journey to citizenship and honor the commitment they’ve shown along the way," states a news release from Mount Vernon. "Historic sites not only make these events meaningful for those who have voluntarily chosen to participate in American democracy and dedicated themselves to the country’s future, but they also reflect the strength and spirit of the United States."

Along with the naturalization ceremony, there will be activities throughout the day at Mount Vernon for An American Celebration. The ceremony will be followed by a National Concert Band performance at 12 p.m., daytime fireworks at 1 p.m., Revolutionary War military music at 1:30 p.m., 18th-century baking demonstrations and more.