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250th Anniversary Sparks Shreveport Naturalization Ceremony

7/3/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The naturalization ceremony was timed to coincide with the nation’s 250th-anniversary celebrations.
New U.S. citizens took the oath at the Strand in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Wednesday.
Mustafa Ergun, a recent citizen from Turkey, said the ceremony fulfilled a long-held goal.
Federal Judge Maury Hicks of the Western District of Louisiana presided over the ceremony.
He described participants’ smiles as a mix of joy, relief and celebration.

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Story summary

The naturalization ceremony was timed to coincide with the nation’s 250th-anniversary celebrations.
New U.S. citizens took the oath at the Strand in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Wednesday.
Mustafa Ergun, a recent citizen from Turkey, said the ceremony fulfilled a long-held goal.
Federal Judge Maury Hicks of the Western District of Louisiana presided over the ceremony.
He described participants’ smiles as a mix of joy, relief and celebration.