Press Office 

 U.S. Department of Homeland Security 

Fact Sheet December 15, 2005 

USCIS ISSUES CITIZENSHIP AND NATURALIZATION FACTS 

• According to a recent Pew Hispanic Center’s report, 11.3 million naturalized citizens live in the United 

States. 

• Nearly eight million immigrants living in the United States are eligible for naturalization. 

• During fiscal year 2004 (the latest year for which complete naturalization data is available), USCIS 

welcomed more than 537,000 new citizens. 

• Nearly seventy percent of all new citizens naturalized during FY 2004 call California, New York, Florida, 

Texas, Illinois, or New Jersey home. 

• More than half (fifty-four percent) of all new citizens naturalized during FY 2004 were women. 

• Asia is the leading region of birth among persons naturalizing. Forty-two percent of new citizens 

naturalized during FY 2004 were born in Asian countries. 

• Home to more than 63,000 new citizens, Mexico is the leading country of birth among persons who 

naturalized during FY 2004. 

• Since September 11, 2001, USCIS has naturalized 24,745 military service members. 

• There are approximately 40,000 immigrant military service members serving on active duty around the 

world. During FY 2005, USCIS naturalized 8,504 military service members. A total of 7,498 service 

members were naturalized stateside and a total of 1,006 service members were naturalized overseas 

(OCONUS). USCIS is currently working 3,472 (as of October 20, 2005) military naturalization 

applications. 

• Since the beginning of the War of Terrorism (September 11, 2001 – Executive Order 13269), USCIS has 

granted posthumous citizenship to 69 military service members. Sixty-five served in operations in Iraq 

and Afghanistan.. Four served during past conflicts (Vietnam service – 3, World War II service – 1). 

• USCIS’ Office of Citizenship recently introduced a New Immigrant Orientation Guide, Civics Flash 

Cards and other free tools to help applicants prepare for citizenship. These materials are available at 

http://uscis.gov/graphics/citizenship

Read the remarks Of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales at the National Archives Naturalization 

Ceremony, December 15, 2005, below

www.uscis.gov 
 www.uscis.gov 

Delivered Remarks Of 

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales at the National Archives Naturalization 

Ceremony 

December 15, 2005 

It’s an honor – a deep honor for me – to be with you today to help you, to join with you in commemorating 

this very special day, this very important day in your life and quite frankly, the life of our country. 

Now, the National Archives is a fitting venue for this ceremony. The American story began with the 

important documents that are housed here – the Declaration of Independence, our Constitution, and our Bill 

of Rights. Ever since, generations of immigrants, like you, have added to these first chapters in search of their 

own storyline in the American epic. 

It is a story of hope. Hard work. Faith. Community. Adversity. Sacrifice. And ultimately, triumph. 

Many of us have lived this story. We write the plot lines in the daily struggles and the personal triumphs of 

this great land. And while today marks a highlight in each of your chapters, this is in no way a conclusion. It is 

just a beginning. 

You now stand ready to open the cover of opportunity, as so many have done before you. I know that each 

of you brings a personal story to the collective library of America. You may have arrived by a plane, by boat, 

or even on foot. You may have followed family, or forged ahead alone. No matter what history brought you to 

this point of achievement, your courage will mean a better life for you and your families. You are now another 

thread in the immigrant fabric of our beloved America. 

My grandparents were Mexican immigrants. I remember visiting them as a very young boy – there was no 

telephone in their house, no television, no running hot water. My parents, too, had very little formal education. 

They were migrant workers who never finished elementary school, but they worked hard to educate their 

children. They had very little, but they gave me a great gift. They instilled in me the confidence that, if given a 

chance, I too could live the American dream. They raised me to believe that a Mexican-American boy from a 

poor neighborhood in Texas could make his own contribution to the American story. 

And there hasn’t been a day since – especially every time I walk into the Oval Office, to brief the most 

powerful person in the world, or sit down with the nation’s law enforcement leaders – that I don’t wonder at 

the gift of opportunity that I have received. 

But with that opportunity comes an equally important challenge. The privilege of American citizenship 

brings with it special responsibilities. 

As citizens, we are all called to participate. This democracy – our country – depends and thrives on the 

actions and contributions of the people it serves. 

As citizens, you and I, we are also called upon to protect our Nation, our rights, and our freedoms. 

Countless immigrants have worn our Nation’s uniform in battle and stood guard in times of peace. Earlier this 

year, the President told the country about Rafael Peralta. He was an immigrant from Mexico that enlisted in 

the Marine Corps the day after he received his Green Card. Sergeant Peralta knew what was necessary to 

safeguard the America he loved for his family – and he made the ultimate sacrifice when he died protecting 

his fellow Marines in Fallujah, Iraq. 

Now lastly, each of us has a special responsibility to take care of our families, our communities, and 

ourselves. We should not overburden the collective goodwill, but strive to give more than we take from this 

very generous Nation. To help others achieve the same dreams that we have. 

America is the greatest country in the world. There is a reason millions of people risk their lives to fulfill the 

dream of coming here. As you accept these new privileges of citizenship, I hope you will treasure – as I do – 

the opportunities that abound in this land. But I also hope that you embrace the responsibilities that we all 

share to preserve and extend that opportunity to all who seek the blessings of America. 

I want to congratulate you again. I pray that God watch over you and your family, may God continue to 

guide your decisions, and may God continue to bless the United States of America – your new home. 

Thank you. 

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As posted on the Department of Justice website