Nearly 60 new U.S. citizens from 18 countries were sworn in at a naturalization ceremony Nov. 3 at King Gillette Ranch in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
The 57 new U.S. citizens are from Algeria, Argentina, Canada, El Salvador, Guatemala, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, India, Ivory Coast, Korea, Mexico, Philippines, Syria, Thailand, United Kingdom and Vietnam, a news release said.
“The National Park Service is honored to host this important and life-changing ceremony for new citizens,” Jody Lyle, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area acting superintendent, said in the release. “We hope the people who took their oath today feel a connection to their national parks and visit us regularly as places for recreation, education and fun.”
Park rangers led the new citizens on a short hike to nearby Inspiration Point following the naturalization ceremony, the release said.
Since 2006, the National Park Service and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have had an agreement encouraging the agencies to co-host naturalization ceremonies at national parks, the release reported.
“NPS has helped USCIS welcome new citizens in locations including Yosemite National Park, Channel Islands National Park, Mount Rushmore National Memorial and numerous other sites on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.,” the release said.
