US gets 49 new citizens including former Indians on Fourth of July amid immigration crackdown, travel bans

The United States of America ushered in the Fourth of July with 49 new citizens this year amid a continued crackdown on illegal immigration. The group hailed from a multitude of countries, including India and its neighbours. The announcement came hours before the country was due to celebrate 249 years of Independence from British rule.

“This Fourth of July, 49 individuals will celebrate America’s freedoms as new US citizens. They took the Oath of Allegiance during a recent Independence Day ceremony in Atlanta,” the US Citizenship and Immigration Services handle wrote on X.

Local media reports indicate that the group took the oath of allegiance in Massachusetts during Patriots’ Day Celebrations in April. Reports indicated that the newly inducted US citizens hailed from various parts of the world — spanning 29 countries including France, Germany and China. Details were not immediately available about the former Indian citizens on the list or their background.

The post came even as the Donald Trump-led administration continued its extensive crackdown on immigration. ICE arrests have shot up more than 25% under the current administration — with senior advisor Stephen Miller recently insisting that the agency should be making 3,000 arrests per day. Trump also toured the massive new ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ immigration detention centre this week before it gets its first detainees. The current US administration has also sidestepped the courts in some cases to ramp up deportations over the past few months.

House Republicans also overcame multiple setbacks to pass a $4.5 trillion tax breaks and spending cuts bill on Thursday — pouring nearly $100 billion into ICE and border enforcement policies. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement department (or ICE) will also receive billions of dollars to hire an additional 10,000 new agents by 2029 under the newly passed Act. It also creates a new minimum $100 fee for those seeking asylum in the country. The One Big Beautiful Bill (now an Act) also provides roughly $46.5 billion to complete Trump’s border wall.