The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana teamed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to hold a naturalization ceremony in which 73 petitioners became United States citizens. In a special ceremony held at the National WWII Museum on July 1, 2026, the Honorable Wendy B. Vitter, Chief Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana, opened the ceremony by welcoming the new citizens along with their friends and families. Chief Judge Vitter then introduced the Honorable Jennifer Walker Elrod, Chief Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, who provided the keynote address. In her remarks, Chief Judge Elrod congratulated the new citizens on their hard-earned achievement and urged them to utilize their American rights to vote, speak freely, and serve on juries, among others. Chief Judge Elrod then administered the Oath of Allegiance, followed by a recorded message from President Donald J. Trump. Chief Judge Elrod and Chief Judge Vitter then handed out certificates and took photos with our country’s newest citizens. These naturalization ceremonies are a wonderful reminder of the foundation of this country. The court welcomes these new U.S. citizens! To view photos from the ceremony, please select this link.