"...on this historic island."
Secretary Napolitano and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas were at Ellis Island in New York City today to lead a naturalization ceremony, granting 110 people United States citizenship.
The ceremony took place in the Great Room, also known as the Registry Hall, where over 12 million immigrants who passed through Ellis Island were registered upon arrival. Constructed with a tiled floor and ceiling, it’s said that the clamor of footsteps and disquiet of different languages on a busy day must have been overwhelming.
The Secretary had the honor of administering the Oath of Allegiance, and remarked,
The new citizens hail from 48 different countries, including China, Ghana, Kosovo, Colombia, Jamaica and Lebanon. Flor Dominguez came to the United States from the Dominican Republic. She’s 95 years old, has lived in the United States for 16 years, and when asked by a reporter why she wanted to become a U.S. citizen, said,
“Porque me gusta este pais, lo agradezco. Y quiero tener el voto.”
“Because I like this country. I appreciate it. And I want to vote.”
The ceremony took place in the Great Room, also known as the Registry Hall, where over 12 million immigrants who passed through Ellis Island were registered upon arrival. Constructed with a tiled floor and ceiling, it’s said that the clamor of footsteps and disquiet of different languages on a busy day must have been overwhelming.
The Secretary had the honor of administering the Oath of Allegiance, and remarked,
“Ellis Island reminds us of the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit that so many immigrants have brought to America,” said Secretary Napolitano. “I am honored to welcome these men and women as citizens of our nation and I applaud their commitment to the responsibilities and ideals shared by all Americans.”Director Mayorkas added, “It is fitting that these individuals received today the cherished gift of citizenship on this historic island, a national symbol of hope and opportunity.”
The new citizens hail from 48 different countries, including China, Ghana, Kosovo, Colombia, Jamaica and Lebanon. Flor Dominguez came to the United States from the Dominican Republic. She’s 95 years old, has lived in the United States for 16 years, and when asked by a reporter why she wanted to become a U.S. citizen, said,
“Porque me gusta este pais, lo agradezco. Y quiero tener el voto.”
“Because I like this country. I appreciate it. And I want to vote.”
Labels: Secretary Napolitano, USCIS
posted by DHS @ 3:29 PM
4 Comments:
At December 5, 2009 7:29 AM ,
Roger D. Parish said...
She's been here for 16 years, and STILL can't speak English?!?
At December 8, 2009 11:11 AM ,
Anonymous said...
The USA is the best country in the world. Our values and ideas make us grow and become a stronger nation! We are the melting pot of the earth and every other country of the world is connected to us by this bond...
At December 10, 2009 1:03 AM ,
Anonymous said...
Its sad to see people who are paying taxes, who have followed the law to the T, who are here legally on H-1 high skilled visas have to wait 10yrs to get a green card and people who don't even know to speak english get citizen ship. These highly skilled people who are waiting for 10yrs have helped the u.s economy and are still doing the same. Hope USCIS opens thier eyes atleast in 2010..
At December 27, 2009 3:49 PM ,
Anonymous said...
As the most recent nearly successful effort to bomb a Northwest Flight to Detroit illustrates only too well, "US Homeland Security" remains the same feckless and hopelessly inept circus act redolent of the prevailing situation pre-9/11. Although the father of the Northwest suspect had actually provided the US Embassy in Lagos with a pointed warning about his son's extremist views, the US Embassy in London punched out a "no questions asked" two-year US visitor visa for the suspect and, apparently, he had no difficulty at all in boarding the aircraft with the same chemicals on his person that were used earlier by the notorious "Shoe Bomber".
But then--- what can one expect of a nation where 98% of the population still can't locate Iraq on a map after 6 years of warfare with that country?
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