News Update: 25 New Citizens Sworn in During Bill of Rights Day Naturalization Ceremony

In celebration of Bill of Rights Day, observed annually on December 15, 25 people from 25 nations were sworn in as U.S. citizens in front of the nation’s Founding Documents, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence, in the Rotunda of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC.

On Bill of Rights Day, 25 people from 25 countries took the oath of citizenship in the Rotunda of the National Archives.

The National Archives traditionally hosts two naturalization ceremonies in the Rotunda each year, the first in September to mark Constitution Day and the second in December in honor of Bill of Rights Day.

Dr. Colleen Shogan, Archivist of the United States, served as the host for the ceremony. The Honorable Elizabeth L. Gunn, a judge in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Columbia, presided as the petitioners took the oath of citizenship. Students from MacArthur High School in Washington, DC, recited the Preamble of the Constitution.

Shogan spoke to the new citizens about the importance of the Founding Documents to the country, and the rights they guarantee for all U.S. citizens.

“These three founding documents are a testament to the enduring values of freedom, justice, and equality that we continuously strive to perfect. They are living promises—a covenant between the government and its citizens,” she said. “You are now part of that promise, and as Americans, these documents belong to you.”

Former First Lady of the United States Melania Trump, herself a naturalized citizen, served as the keynote speaker. She acknowledged the long journeys the new citizens had taken to get to where they are today.

“I applaud you for every step you took, every obstacle you overcame, and every sacrifice you made,” Trump said. “You are now a part of a nation with a rich history of progress, innovation and resilience. Though you all come from 25 different countries, your dreams and inspirations intertwine with those who came before you since 1776, and together, feed the future of this extraordinary country.”