U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
Southern Nevada District Office
Southern Nevada District Office
| Contacts: | Kirsten Cannon | , 702-515-5057 | , k1cannon@blm.gov |
102 New U.S. Citizens Welcomed at Red Rock Canyon Annual Naturalization Ceremony Marks 50th Anniversary of "I Have a Dream" Speech
LAS VEGAS, NV ─ U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will welcome 102 new U.S. citizens against the stunning sandstone formations of the Calico Hills on Monday, January 21, 2013 at 9 a.m.
The ceremony will honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., marking the year that King's "I Have a Dream" speech turns 50. The new U.S. citizens from dozens of countries embody his dream of a vibrant multicultural nation of cooperation that he so compellingly expressed in his great dream for America.
Las Vegas Field Office Director Leander Holston will present the candidates and U.S. District Court Judge Philip M. Pro will administer the Oath of Allegiance to more than 100 new U.S. citizens.
This is the first naturalization ceremony to be held at the BLM’s Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. USCIS welcomes new citizens at historic and picturesque locations to introduce them to the nation’s most significant natural resources, which are now fully theirs to steward and enjoy.
USCIS, an agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is responsible for legal immigration. For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit www.uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis) and the USCIS blog The Beacon. For more information on Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, please visit: www.nv.blm.gov/redrockcanyon.
WHEN: | Monday, January 21, 2013 at 9 a.m. |
WHERE: | Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area |
CONTACT: | Marie Sebrechts, USCIS, marie.sebrechts@dhs.gov, 949-500-1544 (Cell) Kirsten Cannon, BLM, k1cannon@blm.gov, 702-595-2034 (Cell) |
NOTE TO MEDIA: | Amazing visuals for Martin Luther King Jr. Day coverage/stories. Media with satellite trucks may arrange for parking by calling Kirsten Cannon. |
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.