WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Obama delivered remarks at a naturalization ceremony for service members and civilians in the East Room of the White House. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Alejandro Mayorkas presented the countries of the candidates for naturalization and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano delivered the oath of allegiance. The audience was composed of service members, civilians and their families.
The President hosted similar naturalization ceremonies at the White House on May 1, 2009, April 23, 2010 and July 4, 2012.
The following service members and civilians attended as candidates for naturalization:
Asau Asanuma, Watercraft Operator, Army
Palau
Youssef Benalla
Morocco
Jesus Vega Benavides, Corporal, Marines
Mexico
Girma Besufekad
Ethiopia
Antonella Bravo, Hospital Corpsman, Navy
Peru
Elrina Brits, Damage Controlman, Navy
South Africa
Julian De La Valle
Colombia
Maria De Paz
Peru
Kingsley Elebo
Nigeria
Liliana Fernandez
Bolivia
Nikita Kirichenko, Airmen First Class, Air Force
Ukraine
Pertula George Redd
St. Lucia
Edwin Alexander Herera Zelaya, Marines
El Salvador
Mohammed Hossain
Bangladesh
Paulette House
Jamaica
Manish Kapoor
India
Hyuntaek Lim
South Korea
Jiang Lin Liu, Navy
China
Faafetai Wiki Mamea, Marines
American Samoa
Patricia Marie Marcaida
Philippines
Hanna Myroshnychenko
Ukraine
Nazo Raoufi
Afghanistan
Pascale Reynolds
Germany
Brandon Alexander Rheutobottom, Aviation Machinist, Navy
Canada
Oscar de Jesus Tejada Urena, Watercraft Engineer, Army
Dominican Republic
Roosevelt Antonio Trana Reyes, Corporal, Army Reserve
Nicaragua
Pharez Naldo Urian Hanna, Dental Lab Technician, Air Force
Bahamas
Long Zhang, Navy
China