200 Take Citizenship Oath In Massachusetts On July 4

STURBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — More than 200 people in Massachusetts are celebrating their first Independence Day as U.S. citizens.

According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the new citizens took the oath of allegiance during ceremonies Thursday at Old Sturbridge Village and the Hampshire County Superior Courthouse in Northampton. Others were sworn in aboard the USS Constitution warship in Boston.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Collings presided over the Sturbridge event, in which 150 candidates from 54 countries took the oath.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine A. Robertson led the Northampton ceremony, which involved 53 candidates from 26 countries.

The government said it's welcoming about 7,500 new citizens in nearly 110 naturalization ceremonies this week.

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