Courage and New Beginnings: U.S. Citizenship Oath Ceremony Celebrations

A recent U.S. citizenship oath ceremony took place in November, and I had the privilege of attending. With all the recent discussions on immigrants, this experience was deeply moving. The morning started early, as a line of hopeful individuals waited outside the courthouse, some dressed up, some not, with or without family. As the doors opened at 8 o’clock, we all passed through security, leaving our cellphones behind, and made our way upstairs to a large courtroom on the second floor. A sign declared: Naturalization.

Once inside, guests and family were directed to a waiting room equipped with a large flatscreen TV showing the activities unfolding in the courtroom. Meanwhile, inside the courtroom, here’s what my friend saw:

Approximately a hundred individuals were seated on the benches, called up one by one to verify their documents and surrender their Green Cards. Each received a manilla envelope containing an American flag, a handbook outlining their rights and duties as citizens, guidance on obtaining a passport and registering to vote, and a welcoming letter from President Biden. President Biden’s letter highlighted the courage it takes to embark on a new life in a foreign land, drawing parallels with the immigrants preceding them.

Eventually, friends, family, and a group of international students were ushered into the courtroom. As everyone stood, the judge, a kind-looking middle-aged man with Italian immigrant roots, began the ceremony. He noted the 97 individuals from 38 countries about to become citizens and asked them to raise their hands when he read out their country’s name.

The oath-taking process followed, with each new citizen solemnly declaring their allegiance to the United States and its Constitution. The judge concluded the ceremony by congratulating them, stating, “Congratulations, you are now citizens of the United States of America,” to a chorus of cheers.

Exiting the courthouse to a bright autumn day, the new citizens commemorated the occasion with photos, reveling in the joy and perhaps a sense of relief. The ceremony concluded, and everyone dispersed in different directions, now 97 new citizens of the United States of America.