New Citizens Take Oath as U.S. Marks 250th Anniversary

In June, Yesica McKeone, 32, raised her hand and recited the oath of allegiance during a naturalization ceremony in California. She had arrived from Michoacán, Mexico, at age two and later became a permanent resident before settling in Solvang with her two children.

McKeone said the moment closed a long period of uncertainty, yet she also recalled recent federal immigration arrests near her home. She described the experience as one of mixed pride and unease.

Applicants now face a revised civics test introduced last October. The Department of Homeland Security last week proposed raising filing fees to $1,280 for online applications and $1,330 for paper forms while ending fee waivers. Community organizations report that some permanent residents have paused their applications, citing cost and concern over enforcement actions that have included arrests of legal residents.

The first naturalization statute in 1790 limited citizenship to free white persons. Later laws created national-origin quotas in the 1920s before the 1965 Hart-Celler Act removed those restrictions. On 4 July, historical sites including Mount Vernon will host additional ceremonies as part of nationwide America 250 events.

Two new citizens said they plan to mark the day with private gatherings that include civics trivia drawn from the test questions. Kwan “Dawn” Tang, 32, born in Hong Kong, completed the process after six months of waiting and described relief at gaining voting rights and simpler travel.

He also noted a sense of withdrawal after the ceremony. A Los Angeles nonprofit that runs citizenship workshops stated that the combination of higher costs and enforcement activity is shaping decisions about whether eligible residents proceed with applications.