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Path To Citizenship Returns To RTC
by U.S.
Navy Author
April 7, 2022
For the first time since 2017, Recruit
Training Command (RTC) held a naturalization ceremony March 17, in
which 25 recruits from 17 countries recited the Naturalization Oath
of Allegiance to the United States of America and officially became
U.S. citizens.
The ceremony, held in the USS Yorktown
Visitor’s Center, was led by the Honorable Judge Heather McShain,
magistrate judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern
District of Illinois.
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March 17, 2022 - The Honorable Judge Heather McShain, magistrate judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois reads the Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America during a naturalization ceremony inside the USS Yorktown Visitor’s Center at Recruit Training Command (RTC). RTC held the ceremony for the first time since 2017 in which 25 recruits from 17 countries recited the Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America and officially became U.S. citizens. More than 40,000 recruits train annually at the Navy's only boot camp. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Camilo Fernan)
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United States Citizenship and Immigration
Services (USCIS) and Region Legal Service Office (RLSO) Midwest work
with RTC to expedite citizenship for recruits who are qualified
under the Immigration & Nationality Act Section 329, which allows
expedited naturalization for aliens and non-citizen nationals
serving in an active-duty status.
Naturalization ceremonies
were halted in 2017 due to a DoD policy extending the amount of time
military members were required to serve before becoming eligible for
citizenship. This changed on February 2, with the signing
Presidential Executive Order 14012, which requires the Department of
Homeland Security and USCIS to facilitate naturalization for members
of the military.
“During [processing days], recruits are
screened for their citizenship status and a list of non-U.S.
citizens for a training group is compiled,” said Lt. Leslie Liang,
RTC’s naturalization officer. “The naturalization team
representative is tasked with sitting down with the recruits to fill
out their Request for Certification of Military or Naval Service and
Application for Naturalization forms.”
Once the application
and any additional required documents are mailed and processed, the
recruits are interviewed by USCIS and must pass an English and
civics test. If the application for naturalization is granted, RTC’s
naturalization team work to coordinate a ceremony with USCIS and the
District Court of Illinois. From start to finish the process takes
about eight weeks.
“Recruits should ensure they bring any and
all documentation related to naturalization to RTC, such as a green
card, passport, state ID, marriage certificate, and divorce decree,”
said Liang. “[They] are provided with a study guide for the
interview and civics test after they apply and are encouraged to
study the material in preparation for their interview.”
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March 17, 2022 - The Honorable Judge Heather McShain, magistrate judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois poses for a photo with recruits following a naturalization ceremony inside the USS Yorktown Visitor’s Center at Recruit Training Command (RTC). RTC held the ceremony for the first time since 2017 in which 25 recruits from 17 countries recited the Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America and officially became U.S. citizens. More than 40,000 recruits train annually at the Navy's only boot camp. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Camilo Fernan)
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One recruit who received her citizenship
during this ceremony was Airman Luisa Sanchez, who is originally
from Columbia, and joined the Navy from New Jersey.
“It
feels very nice because it’s something for years you’ve had in your
mind, and you knew that you needed to work for it, because nobody
gave it to you for free,” said Sanchez. “Now that I’m a citizen, I
can travel to more countries and not have to worry about being back
in the United States in six months, and I can apply for a better job
in the Navy.”
Sanchez, who is
currently enlisted under the Airman Professional Apprenticeship
Career Tracks program said her dream job is to be able to work on
submarines.
“Now with my citizenship I can actually do that,”
she said.
Sanchez’s celebration didn’t end with her newly
acquired citizenship. The next day she graduated from boot camp and
became a United States Sailor, with her mother and father watching
in the audience.
Her father also just received his
citizenship and had nothing but praises for his daughter upon
liberty call.
“I’m really happy because now she can start a
new life and have new opportunities, and I’m really happy for my
daughter,” he said.
Liang feels strongly about the RTC
naturalization program for personal reasons and is honored to be
part of bringing the program back.
“The program is very near
and dear to my heart. My parents were born in China and immigrated
to America in the early 1990s,” said Liang. “After residing in
America with their Permanent Resident Card (green card) for 20 or so
years, they finally became naturalized as U.S. citizens. In the same
way my parents were afforded an opportunity to come to America to
seek a better future for our family, I am beyond ecstatic to be able
to assist others in becoming naturalized.”
Liang said he
hopes RTC will continue a monthly ceremony due to the success of the
program restarting.
Boot camp is approximately 10 weeks and
all enlistees into the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command.
Training includes physical fitness, seamanship, firearms,
firefighting and shipboard damage control along with lessons in Navy
heritage and core values, teamwork and discipline. More than 40,000
recruits train annually at the Navy’s only boot camp.
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