Tom Li is a Bay Area News Group regional news reporting intern for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. Raised in Pleasanton, Tom is currently a student at Brown University studying economics and international and public affairs.
Soon-to-be citizens and their friends and family gather in preparation for their naturalization ceremony on June 28, 2024 in the parking lot of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Santa Clara, Calif. Cars form several rows of lines leading into the sectioned-off area of the parking lot where the ceremony is being conducted. Drive-thru ceremonies remained in effect at the San Jose field office until July 2024.
Instead, they got a drive-thru ceremony in the parking lot — a practice that began during the COVID-19 pandemic to mitigate the virus’s spread. What he saw in front of him instead was a USCIS officer wearing chinos and sneakers. It was Gavai’s turn. He got out of his car, listened to the USCIS officer deliver the oath of allegiance, responded with “yes” and heard “Congratulations, you are now officially citizens.”
As pandemic restrictions loosened, most USCIS offices returned to full-fledged ceremonies. San Jose’s field office did not, the USCIS spokesperson said, because of a lack of space within the office building.spells out several steps that field offices should follow for naturalization ceremonies, “unless exempted.” Administering the oath of allegiance is one of 11 steps, but according to the USCIS spokesperson, it serves as the key component of the ceremony.
Although the field office said they’ve moved to full-fledged ceremonies, Gavai remains frustrated with how USCIS allowed these “convenient” drive-thru ceremonies to continue years after the end of pandemic restrictions. For him, there’s a sense of unfairness: “I wasn’t told that my ceremony would be drive-thru,” he said.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Man arrested after College Area woman wakes up to prowler in her bedroomThe incident happened about 4:40 a.m. on Mary Lane Drive off Campanile Drive, San Diego police said
Read more »
California gives Waymo the green light to expand robotaxi operationsWaymo is now allowed to drive on highways in Los Angeles and the Bay Area.
Read more »
Driver involved in Bay Bridge crash jumps off span into San Francisco BayA person involved in a crash on the Bay Bridge Thursday jumped into the bay after running from the crash scene and was eventually rescued by the Coast Guard, authorities said.
Read more »
Biden Says He Will Continue Campaigning Despite Calls to Step AsideSee multiple perspectives from BBC News, Fox News Digital, and ABC News (Online) at AllSides.com.
Read more »
WSJ Journalist Evan Gershkovich, Former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan to be Released from Russia in Prisoner SwapSee multiple perspectives from BBC News, CBS News (Online), and Fox News Digital at AllSides.com.
Read more »
Defense Secretary Revokes Plea Deal with Accused 9/11See multiple perspectives from BBC News, BBC News, and New York Post (News) at AllSides.com.
Read more »