30USCIS has approved the congressionally mandated annual limit of 10,000 petitions for U nonimmigrant status for victims of certain crimes committed in the United States who assist law enforcement authorities.

Although USCIS cannot grant any more U visas in fiscal year (FY) 2017, we will continue to review pending petitions for eligibility for potential visa issuance when more visas become available in FY 2018 beginning on Oct. 1, 2017.

Petitioners and qualifying family members must continue to meet eligibility requirements at the time a U visa becomes available.

Congress created the U visa program to strengthen law enforcement’s ability to investigate and prosecute cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and other serious crimes. Each year, 10,000 U visas are available for victims of certain qualifying crimes who have suffered substantial mental or physical abuse and are willing to help law enforcement authorities investigate or prosecute those crimes.

A U visa petition requires certification by a law enforcement agency that the victim has been helpful in the investigation or prosecution of the qualifying crime.

Last Reviewed/Updated: 08/30/2017

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-grants-all-available-u-visas-fiscal-year-2017

 

SEATTLE – San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Anchorage (LPD 23) hosted a naturalization ceremony as part of the 68th Annual Seafair Fleet Week in the Port of Seattle. Seafair Fleet Week is an annual celebration of the sea services wherein Sailors, Marines and Coast Guard members from visiting U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships and ships from Canada make the city a port of call. The Seafair Naturalization Ceremony is unique in that the location used is not a stationary public venue, but rather on an operational Navy vessel. Captain Dennis Jacko, commanding officer, hosted this year’s ceremony on Anchorage.

Ten applicants from ten different countries were chosen to complete their journey to citizenship on the flight deck of USS Anchorage in a ceremony on Friday morning as the sun beamed brightly overhead. Senior Chief Navy Counselor Jean-Hero Lamy, who himself became an American citizen in Haiti, delivered a humbling speech in which he beseeched the soon-to-be Americans to welcome the opportunities America has to offer.

U.S. Senator Patty Murray continued the theme in her keynote address to the crowd. “Given your paths that you’ve taken to get here, I am filled with hope for the paths you have in front of you,” she told the ten candidates, each of whom is either a current service member or is a United States veteran. On the flight deck of a Navy warship with an MV-22 Osprey, a UH-1 Huey, and an American flag as a backdrop, the candidates then took the oath of allegiance and received their Certificates of Naturalization for U.S. Citizenship.

Naturalization is the manner in which a person not born in the United States voluntarily becomes a U.S. citizen. Before being eligible for citizenship, all non-citizen service members who apply must be able to demonstrate good moral character, have no criminal record, speak English, demonstrate knowledge of the U.S. government and history, and take the oath of allegiance to the U.S. Constitution.

Ships participating in Fleet Week are San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD 23); Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112); Hamilton-class high endurance cutter USCGC Mellon (WHEC 717); and the Kingston-class coastal defence vessels HMCS Yellowknife (MM 706) and HMCS Edmonton (MM 703).

The 68th annual Seattle Seafair Fleet Week runs from Aug. 2-6.​

Story by Lt. J.g. Emily Strong, USS Anchorage Public Affairs

Source: http://www.public.navy.mil/surfor/lpd23/Pages/USS-Anchorage-Hosts-Naturalization-Ceremony.aspx#.Wam_s62ZMUF

WASHINGTON— U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will celebrate the 241st  anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and our nation’s birthday, by welcoming nearly 15,000 new U.S. citizens during more than 65 Independence Day-themed naturalization ceremonies across the country this year.

“July Fourth marks the birth of our country, and for 15,000 people, it marks the birth of a new chapter as American citizens,” USCIS Acting Director James McCament said. “These new members of our community will add to the diverse fabric of our nation and will now be able to enjoy the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship.”

USCIS’ Independence Day activities this year will feature a naturalization ceremony at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana, on July 3. During this event, McCament will administer the Oath of Allegiance and deliver congratulatory remarks to 49 new Americans. Follow us on Facebook to view a live stream of this ceremony.

Other ceremonies include events at:

Congaree National Park in Hopkins, South Carolina, on July 3.

Saratoga National Historic Park in Stillwater, New York, on July 4.

Calvin Coolidge Homestead in Plymouth, Vermont, on July 4.

Saguaro National Park West in Tucson, Arizona, on July 4.

Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia, on July 4.

Battleship New Jersey in Camden, New Jersey, on July 4. Follow us on Facebook to view a live stream of this ceremony.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon in Mount Vernon, Virginia, on July 4.

To view a complete list of 2017 Independence Day-themed naturalization ceremonies, please visit uscis.gov/news.

We invite new citizens and their families and friends to share their experiences and photos from the ceremonies on social media using the hashtags #newUScitizen and #July4th.

USCIS is committed to promoting awareness and understanding of citizenship. We offer a variety of free citizenship preparation resources for applicants and teachers, including materials like the Establishing Independence (PDF, 2.41 MB)lesson plan, in our Citizenship Resource Center. Immigrant-serving organizations can register to receive a free Civics and Citizenship Toolkit to help permanent residents prepare for naturalization.

The importance of the Declaration of Independence and Independence Day in the United States is reflected in several places on the naturalization test. Prospective citizens may see them in six different questions on the civics test, including, “What did the Declaration of Independence do?” and “When do we celebrate Independence Day?”

To help applicants practice for the civics test, we recently launched our first official mobile app for the public, USCIS: Civics Test Study Tools, which is currently available for download in the Google Play and iTunes stores. In addition to being the only official USCIS Civics Test application, the app keeps old tests for review, has a game to challenge your civics knowledge, and lists all 100 questions and answers that could be asked in the actual civics test.

For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit www.uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis), Facebook (/uscis), and Instagram (@uscis).

Release Date: June 29, 2017
Source: https://www.uscis.gov/news/uscis-naturalize-15000-new-citizens-during-independence-day-holiday