Iraq Naturalization Trip

As you read this, I’m in the air over the Mediterranean Sea on my way home from the Middle East. I would like to share with you what I just experienced. In Baghdad, at one of the former Presidential Palaces, I had the distinct honor of naturalizing 186 men and women serving in uniform in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Many of these service members have seen extensive combat and have served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. During my tenure with USCIS, I’ve had the opportunity to naturalize soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in far reaching corners of the world from Afghanistan to Djibouti. As a veteran of our military, I know first-hand the sacrifices our nation’s veterans make to secure our freedoms. Since 2004, more than 6,000 service members have become U.S. citizens while stationed overseas – of that number 2,500 naturalized in Iraq. Their service is a constant source of inspiration.

As the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, there’s another part of this story that’s just as important to me. Every time I naturalize military service members overseas, USCIS employees have gone before me to conduct interviews. From the deserts of Iraq, to the mountains of Afghanistan, to the middle of the ocean aboard Navy ships, the men and women of USCIS leave the safety of their homes to volunteer to support our troops. As I fly back to the States, I’m thinking not only of the sacrifices of our service members, I’m also thinking about the sacrifices of the USCIS public servants I work with that made these naturalizations possible.

I’m proud of the work my team does to naturalize military service members who are fully eligible for citizenship. However, our goal is to eliminate the need for conducting overseas military naturalization ceremonies by working closely with the Department of Defense to speed up the processing of military naturalization cases. We want to ensure that every eligible service member raises his or her right hand and recites the Oath of Allegiance before overseas deployment. This will benefit these brave men and women as well as their families. It’s the least a grateful nation can do for the men and women of our armed forces who have volunteered to defend America even before they’ve become citizens.

Jonathan “Jock” Scharfen
Acting Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

A Visit to the Middle East

This past weekend, I traveled to the Middle East to participate in several events with our servicemen and women and to meet with a number of our allies throughout the region. I visited Iraq, Bahrain and Jordan, and on the way back, met my European counterparts in London.

I’d like to share with you some highlights from the past few days.

On Veterans Day, I had the privilege of administering the Oath of Allegiance to over 170 U.S. soldiers at a naturalization ceremony in Iraq. They were born in over 50 countries. Ironically, the ceremony took place in an auditorium formerly used by Saddam Hussein as a movie theater. But most remarkably, these brave men and women were willing to leave their native homes and put their lives in danger to defend America before they were naturalized American citizens.

After Iraq, I went to Bahrain and met with several U.S. Coast Guard members who are assisting in Operation Iraqi Freedom. There, a small unit is doing a tremendous job securing ports in the North Arabian Gulf, augmenting U.S. Navy security forces, training Iraqi sailors and marines, and protecting Iraq’s oil infrastructure, which is crucial to overall reconstruction efforts. In addition to Coast Guard forces, DHS has Customs and Border Protection personnel stationed in and around Iraq to help train Iraqi soldiers and strengthen their border security efforts.

DHS personnel deployed overseas are directly enhancing our security at home. By working closely with Iraqi, American, and Coalition Forces, they are helping to stabilize a fledgling democracy, creating a safer Iraq and therefore a safer Middle East. And a safer Middle East means a safer world for us and our allies. These young men and women are also goodwill ambassadors, setting an example and forging relationships that enhance America’s reputation in Iraq and the Gulf.

But America also has a responsibility to extend its protection to vulnerable populations, including those in Iraq. And, of course, our greatest duty is to those who are at risk because they have worked side by side with our military and civilian personnel. So I also visited a refugee processing facility in Jordan to examine what we are doing to process Iraqi refugees seeking asylum in our country. We are processing Iraqis faster than any other nationality and the pace is increasing. At the same time, we have to remain thorough in our screening procedures, so terrorists and criminals do not exploit our refugee process to sneak into the country. DHS, U.S. State Department, and Jordanian officials are equally committed to this goal.

Thanks for reading.

Michael Chertoff