9000 new US citizens welcomed during citizenship ceremonies
by Harleen Kaur - September 25, 2010
United States, 25th September: Nearly 9000 individuals became US citizens during special US citizenship ceremonies organized by USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services).
The US celebrates its Citizenship Day and Constitution Day on September 17.
Naturalization ceremonies were organized at different places from September 13 till September 24 by the USCIS in collaboration with NPS (National Park Services) under “Embrace Citizenship-Experience America” theme.
According to the director of the USCIS, Alejandro Mayorkas, every year, Citizenship Day and Constitution Day are recognized to mark the signing of the American Constitution and reveal the importance and value of becoming a US citizen.
Mr. Mayorkas added that people of America are enriched by the diverse backgrounds of different people and are united in terms of respect for the rights and duties enshrined by the constitution of this nation.
The celebrations mark 223rd anniversary of US constitution.
The immigrants becoming US citizens hailed from different nations including India, Burma, Russia, Vietnam, Bulgaria, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, Egypt and Cuba. But, all of them had one thing in common, that is, their new official home being the US.
US citizenship certificates were handed over to the new US citizens. The immigrants becoming US citizens were in the age group of 20 plus to around 60s and had been in the US from a period of five years to nearly more than 30 years. The new citizens were found to be employed as teachers, architects, physicians and so on.
The US citizenship ceremony has been quite emotional, at least, for some new US citizens. According to 52-year-old Anjana Prasad, who became a US citizen at a citizenship ceremony held at Charles Pinckney National Historic Site said he felt honored to be becoming a citizen of a new nation while feeling sad of losing another great nation. Prasad said he felt to be more of an American and less Indian.
The US is liked by Prasad’s son, Sridhar Prasad, for its diversity, its melting point of religions and races. 26-year-old Sridhar Prasad felt rejoiced at this momentous occasion.
The citizenship ceremonies comprised of 22 events held across the nation.
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