Background on Naturalization Ceremony at the White House

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

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

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