New U.S. Citizens

May, 10, 2007, Washington, D.C.
Contact: Washington Foreign Press Center Media Relations Officer Wendy Lyle
Telephone: 202-504-6362; Email: lylewp@state.gov

A dozen TV and print jounralists from Japan, Mexico, Pakistan, Spain and the Philippines attended a unique U.S. citizenship ceremony for 28 new Americans citizens at the annual Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW) Exhibit on the National Mall.  The new citizens are natives of Afghanistan, Belgium, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, India, Mexico, Nepal, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine and Vietnam.  Among them were three soldiers who are currently serving on active duty in the U.S. military and have recently returned from Iraq.  The ceremony included messages by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officials, and a video message from President Bush.  The journalists also had an opportunity to interview Gregory Christian, the Director of the Washington District Citizenship and Immigration Services and many new citizens and their family members.