History Colorado Center Hosts Their Largest Naturalization Ceremony Ever with 151 People

History Colorado has been home to naturalization ceremonies for more than a decade as a warm, welcoming place that highlights some of Colorado’s immigrant history.

February 12, 151 people from 50 countries took the Oath of Allegiance.

It was the largest ceremony ever hosted at History Colorado.

Jessica lives in Fort Collins with her two sons and her husband. She is from China.

She came here in 2008 to work as a business analyst. Jessica attended high school and college in New Zealand. She’s an entrepreneur who owns her own private investment company.

She says she is excited to vote, have a voice, and she wants to make this country even better.

Jessica says the U.S. is very welcoming to ideas and energy. She likes her freedom of speech, and she feels respected by people.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Acting Deputy District Director Kristi Goldinger administered the Oath of Allegiance. Magistrate Judge Kristen L. Mix presided over the ceremony.

Graland Country Day School third grade students sang to the new U.S. Citizens as part of the ceremony.

Marissa Volpe, History Colorado Center’s community outreach director, was the guest speaker.

Ivan Taylor, the spouse of a citizen who naturalized, sang the national anthem.

During the fiscal year 2019, USCIS naturalized 834,000 people at ceremonies throughout the country and around the world, an 11-year high.

People originally from Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, China, Colombia, Congo (Kinshasa), Denmark, Dominica, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Liberia, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Vietnam were naturalized at the ceremony.

They live in Arvada, Aurora, Avon, Boulder, Brighton, Buena Vista, Castle Rock, Cenntennial, Colorado Springs, Commerce City, Dacono, Denver, Dillon, Englewood, Erie, Federal Heights, Fort Collins, Fort Lupton, Fort Morgan, Golden, Greeley, Henderson, Highlands Ranch, Lakewood, Lafayette, Littleton, Longmont, Louisville, Northglenn, Parker, Peyton, Pueblo, Superior, Thorton, Westminster, and Woodland Park.

USCIS invites families and friends to share their experiences and photos from the ceremonies on social media using the hashtags #NewUSCitizen.