The United States welcomed 661,500 new citizens as of June 15 in the fiscal year 2022, with India the second largest country of birth for naturalized American citizens in the first quarter after Mexico.
Throughout our nation's history, the promise of life and liberty, and the freedom to pursue happiness, is what has drawn millions from all over the world to call America their home, US Citizenship and Immigration Services USCIS Director M Jaddou said on Friday.
The USCIS welcomed 855,000 new US citizens in fiscal year 2021. As of June 15th, the USCIS welcomed 661,500 new US citizens and made significant progress in reducing naturalisation pending queues, the agency said.
The USCIS said it would celebrate Independence Day this year by welcoming more than 6,600 new citizens in more than 140 naturalisation ceremonies between July 1 and July 8. In FY 2022, the US welcomed 1,97, 148 new citizens in the top five countries of nationality, according to the US Homeland Security, and in the top five countries of nationality, Mexico 24, 508 India 12,928 the Philippines 11,316 Cuba 10,689 and the Dominican Republic 7,046 during this period.
In Q1 of FY 2021, the top five countries of nationality of Mexico, India, Cuba, the Philippines and China accounted for 35 per cent of the naturalisations, it said.
The US federal government's fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30.
At the USCIS, our belief in the promise of America is renewed daily as we work to welcome immigrants as our fellow citizens, said Jaddou, adding that our country will be stronger and more diverse because of the choice they have made.
Among the top countries of birth for people naturalising in 2020, Mexico was the leading country 13 per cent of the total, followed by India 7.7 per cent. The Philippines 5.3 per cent Cuba 5.0 per cent and China 4.2 per cent.