Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas will administer the Oath of Allegiance and provide congratulatory remarks to 17 veterans and active-duty members of the military originating from Cameroon, China, El Salvador, Germany, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and South Korea in a specialized naturalization ceremony in celebration of Veterans Day at the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House. During the ceremony, USCIS Director Ur Jaddou will also present retired Major General Viet Xuan Luong with the Outstanding Americans by Choice award. Major General Luong boasts a distinguished career in the U.S. military, having received numerous awards and decorations and recently retired after 34 years of service.

U.S. service members, veterans, and their families may be eligible for certain immigration benefits, specifically the ability to become U.S. citizens through naturalization under special provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. These provisions reduce or eliminate certain requirements for naturalization, including the requirements for the applicant to have resided in and been physically present in the United States for a specified period of time before naturalizing.

In 2021, USCIS naturalized 8,800 service members. Service members born in the Philippines, Mexico, Jamaica, China and South Korea made up the majority of all naturalizations since 2017. Service members from the Army (including National Guard and Reserves) comprised about two-thirds (62%) of all military naturalizations.