Attorney General Ashcroft Swears In 3,000 New U.S. Citizens

Also backs reorganizing of Immigration and Naturalization Service

By Wendy S. Ross
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- Attorney General John Ashcroft issued the oath of allegiance to 3,000 new U.S. citizens at a citizenship ceremony in the Convention Center in Miami, Florida, March 28.

The new citizens range in age from 18 to 100, and come from 80 nations.

"On behalf of the American people, I congratulate you on taking one of the most significant steps of your lives," Ashcroft said.

"You have chosen to participate fully in the most enduring democracy ever created, he said. "I applaud your choice because I believe your individual lives will be better and your contributions as citizens will make our country even stronger and more vibrant."

President Bush, speaking to the new citizens through a video hookup, reminded them that, "today America is not only your home; it is your country. With a single oath, all at once, you became as fully American as the most direct descendants of the Founding Fathers."

Bush encouraged continued hard work, the spirit of entrepreneurship, love of family and love of country.

Following the ceremony, Ashcroft compared the makeup of the United States to that of the Olympics.

"The Olympics are a set of games where people come from every quarter of the globe to achieve at the highest levels known to mankind," Ashcroft said. "And when the Olympics come to the United States, they literally mirror what has been happening in the United States since our country began -- people coming from every quarter of the globe to achieve at the highest levels possible. That's the story of America." Ashcroft said.

At the news conference, Ashcroft updated reporters on the status of the Bush administration's plan to reorganize the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), separating the INS enforcement function from its service function.

The U.S. Congress last week provided an endorsement of that plan and the opportunity now exists, Ashcroft said, to go forward with it. He said the plan "really holds the great promise of improving the performance of this agency."

INS, Ashcroft said, "has an incredibly substantial job. There are about 550 million border crossings into and out of the United States every year. The United States of America welcomes more immigrants than all other nations of the world combined, and we have historically."

"As we secure America, and as we provide the basis for the safety and security which is important to all people in America, whether they be guests of this country or whether they be residents of this country or those who are actually citizens of this country, we need the cooperation and help of law enforcement agencies who can work together to get that job done," Ashcroft said.

(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)