September 17 is Constitution Day, marking the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. Today also marks Citizenship Day, which recognizes everyone who has attained U.S. citizenship. In Alexandria, Virginia, 60 new citizens took their oath of citizenship before Judge William Fitzpatrick of the Eastern District of Virginia.
The ceremony included applicants from Venezuela, El Salvador, and Korea. Judge Fitzpatrick administered the oath, asking applicants to rise and raise their right hands. Applicants repeated the words back to him, and Fitzpatrick concluded with “Congratulations.”
One woman said, “We’re super excited. Me and my husband, we both became citizens.” Another man said, “I don’t think people realize how daunting this journey is. But it’s — I’m so happy to be here.”
The naturalization process is long and expensive. Applicants hold a green card for years, complete lengthy applications, pay hundreds of dollars in fees, interview with immigration officers, take an English language test, and pass a civics test.
Lucio Arevalo’s Wait
Lucio Arevalo, a green card holder since 1998 who arrived in the U.S. with his parents from Mexico as a baby, is waiting on his interview date. He described the fear of the process. “It is definitely scary to know that there could be that possibility for me to get stopped, I guess, by immigration,” he said.
He also said taking the oath would bring relief. “It would be such a big relief,” he said. And he still feels like he sits between two worlds. “There’s still that thin line between me actually being, I guess, fully part of the country,” he said.
Dana Van Ostrand, a volunteer with Welcome.US, lives in Iowa and has been helping Arevalo study in virtual sessions. Nazanin Ash is the CEO and co-founder of Welcome.US.
The New Test and Fees
The administration has made citizenship harder to attain. A harder civics test with more questions and a higher number of correct answers required to pass has been introduced. Stricter social media vetting has also been put in place.
A proposed fee increase of 75 percent would raise the application fee to nearly $1,300. A defunct practice of neighborhood investigations into applicants’ moral character has been revived. USCIS has been abruptly canceling naturalization ceremonies at the last minute.
Today at the courthouse, two ceremonies were scheduled. The afternoon session was canceled just last night.
The Numbers Behind the Process
The government processes far fewer naturalization applications today than during the Biden administration. The drop is 75 percent compared to two years ago.
The rejection rate for naturalization has more than doubled since September 2024. It rose from 9.2 percent to more than 18 percent.
USCIS said in a statement to PBS News that it “has implemented reforms to ensure U.S. citizenship is reserved for those who qualify.” USCIS added that “USCIS will not take shortcuts in the naturalization process. Naturalization is a privilege, not a right.”
Van Ostrand said the Trump administration’s rhetoric and actions have been “quite dehumanizing” in his view. He said he wanted to be “a part of welcoming people who have already been here.”
Ash on the Rigor
The process is rigorous, and it has always been rigorous. Ash said, “Taking on the responsibilities of citizenship is a commitment that no one takes lightly, least of all the aspiring Americans who are pursuing their dreams.”
Ash argued the process is appropriately rigorous. She said it is rigorously and has always been rigorous.
The Path Forward
Arevalo’s interview date remains unknown. His path to citizenship depends on passing the tests and clearing the backlog.
The applicants who took the oath today know what they gained. The road to it was long.
Key Facts Box
- Ceremony date: September 17, Constitution Day
- New citizens sworn in: 60, before Judge William Fitzpatrick
- Applicants represented: Venezuela, El Salvador, Korea
- Green card holder since 1998: Lucio Arevalo, arrived from Mexico as a baby
- Proposed fee increase: 75 percent, raising the application fee to nearly $1,300
- Rejection rate: Up from 9.2 percent to more than 18 percent since September 2024
- Applications processed: 75 percent drop-off compared to two years ago
- USCIS statement: “Naturalization is a privilege, not a right”
The oath is simple. The road to it is not.
Source material: “How Trump's immigration crackdown made it harder to become U.S. citizen,” PBS.
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