Meet 100 Newest Americans at an NYC Citizenship Ceremony

Roughly 100 immigrants gathered on Friday to complete their years long journey to U.S. citizenship in a ceremony at the federal courthouse in Downtown Brooklyn.

Among the new Americans was Jane Olaniran, originally from Nigeria, who had worn a hot-pink dress with matching shoes and a Kentucky Derby-sized hat.

“I just want to be bright today,” Olaniran said after the ceremony. “Just want to be happy. It reflects my soul, being a citizen.”

The New York City metro area leads the nation in turning immigrants into American citizens, with 27,601 naturalization applications approved in the first half of this year.

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Here and nationally, the rate of naturalization is increasing after years of slowdown from the coronavirus pandemic and the Trump administration’s “extreme vetting” processes for immigrants.

In the courthouse, many in the crowd clutched miniature U.S. flags, which they were given in welcome envelopes that included their citizenship certificates and an official welcome letter from President Joe Biden.

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Their friends, family and loved ones waited silently in a separate section across the room. An infant in the audience called repeatedly to her mother, who was in the seats reserved for new citizens. Another young mother walked her restless toddler in circles around the empty judges’ bench and chairs.

Edward Laning’s “The Role of the Immigrant in the Industrial Development of America,” a Works Progress Administration mural that originally lined the dining room at Ellis Island, wraps around the back wall.

The crowd rose as Judge Robert Levy entered the room. Later, they raised their right hands as they renounced all allegiance to foreign princes and swore to bear arms on behalf of the United States if required to.

After they recited the pledge of allegiance, Levy welcomed the new citizens to the country.

“Some of you took a grueling and long road to get here,” he said. “Some of you had to leave behind friends and family, or learn a new language and skills, adapt to new foods and customs. Yet this was your goal, and I suggest it was worth it.”

He said that as Americans, they had several new rights, but only one new obligation: to vote.

“Vote for whoever you want, but I’m counting on you to vote,” the judge said. “Because you don’t take it for granted the way people who were born here do.”

“We take our differences and we put them together,” Levy said, gesturing toward a seal of the United States. “That’s what we are doing now in this courtroom and in this country.”

“Never forget where you came from,” he continued. “And the traditions that you bring, and the strengths of your culture. Now, you bring all of those to the help of your new country.”

After several hours of sitting in silence and anticipation, the crowd broke into applause when the ceremony was completed.

The mood outside the courthouse later on was jubilant.

Marie Cylotte-Pierre and Valcus-Jean Phillippe, who both moved to the United States from Haiti, beamed as they held up their flags.

“I’m very happy,” said Cylotte-Pierre. “I said thanks to God and my son who gave it to me.” Her son, already a citizen, had sponsored her green card.

Her son couldn’t make it to the ceremony that morning due to another sort of American obligation. He had to be at work.

By Ryan Kailath

Read the Original article on https://gothamist.com