Naturalized women of impact
International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate the women who shape our world—and that story includes the more than 12 million women who are naturalized U.S. citizens. Their journeys reflect courage, determination, and a deep commitment to making contributions to their adopted homeland.
Naturalization is more than a legal milestone. It is a powerful declaration of belonging and contribution—a choice to invest talent, leadership, and vision into the fabric of American life while carrying forward global perspectives and lived experiences from around the world.
From pioneering breakthroughs in science and technology to shaping public policy, to competing on the world stage in athletics and the arts, these women have been integral to the American story. Keep reading to discover just a few of the extraordinary women who chose U.S. citizenship, and whose impact reaches far beyond our borders.
STEM and innovation
Mária Telkes, Sustainable energy
Hungary, Naturalized in 1937
A biophysicist and prolific inventor, she pioneered solar energy technologies by creating the first 100% solar-heated home and a solar distiller that saved lives during WWII.
Chien-Shiung Wu, Physics and STEM
China, Naturalized in 1954
Known as the "First Lady of Physics," she moved to the U.S. for graduate studies and became a key scientist on the Manhattan Project, later disproving a fundamental law of nature in particle physics.
Rita Levi-Montalcini, Scientist
Italy, Naturalized in 1956
A Nobel Prize winning neurobiologist, she conducted groundbreaking research in a makeshift bedroom lab during WWII before moving to the U.S., where she discovered Nerve Growth Factor (NGF).
Kalpana Chawla, Astronaut
India, Naturalized in the early 1990s (unverified date)
Driven by a lifelong fascination with flight, she became the first Indian-born woman to go to space, serving as a mission specialist and primary robotic arm operator on the space shuttle Columbia.
Public service and diplomacy
Madeleine Albright, Secretary of State
Czechoslovakia, Naturalized in 1957
Fleeing both Nazi and Communist regimes and coming to the U.S. as a child, she rose through the diplomatic ranks to become the first female U.S. Secretary of State, significantly shaping American foreign policy in the 20th century.
Elaine Chao, Secretary of Transportation
Taiwan, Naturalized in 1972
Arriving as a young immigrant on a freight ship, she became the first Asian American woman to serve in a presidential Cabinet, leading both the Labor and Transportation departments.
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, U.S. Representative
Cuba, Naturalized in the 1970s (unverified date)
Fleeing Cuba as a young girl, she became the first Hispanic woman elected to Congress. She rose to chair the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where she was a fierce advocate for human rights and a leading GOP voice for bipartisan social reform.
Julissa Reynoso Pantaleón, U.S. Ambassador and First Lady Chief of Staff
Dominican Republic, Naturalized in the 1990s
Moving to the Bronx as a young child, she excelled in law and public policy, eventually serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Spain and the Chief of Staff to the First Lady Jill Biden.
Advocacy and peace
Isabel Allende, Advocate
Chile, Naturalized in 1993
Following the military coup in her home country, she fled to eventually become one of the world’s most-read authors and a prominent advocate for the protection of women’s and girls’ economic and reproductive rights.
Immaculée Ilibagiza, Peace activist
Rwanda, Naturalized in 2013
A survivor of the Rwandan genocide, she transformed her experience of profound loss into a global mission for peace and forgiveness, becoming a world-renowned author and speaker.
Arts
Celia Cruz, Singer
Cuba, Naturalized in 1961
After her band was exiled from Cuba following the revolution, the "Queen of Salsa" became a naturalized citizen and used her operatic voice and famous cry of "¡Azúcar!" to define the American salsa movement and celebrate Afro-Latino heritage on a global stage.
Ana de Armas, Actress
Cuba, Naturalized in 2023
After establishing a successful career in Cuba and Spain, she moved to the U.S. at age 26 with no knowledge of English; she taught herself the language phonetically to land her first roles and eventually became the first Cuban woman nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Athletics
Catarina Macario, Soccer player
Brazil, Naturalized in 2020
After moving to the U.S. at age 12 to pursue soccer opportunities unavailable to girls in her home country, she became the first naturalized citizen to ever play for the U.S. Women’s National Team, later winning an Olympic bronze medal and the UEFA Champions League.
Weini Kelati, Track athlete
Eritrea, Naturalized in 2021
After seeking asylum in the U.S. as a teenager following a track meet, she became a standout collegiate champion and has represented Team USA multiple times as a record-breaking long-distance runner.
