Our New Legal Immigrants

I have only known Carmela for about three years. She works in our operating room as a surgical technician.  Vivacious, pretty, and smart, I have followed her incipient career as she conquers each daunting hurdle. She is determined to succeed, and become a physician's assistant. I have checked on and encouraged her as she finished her college degree, takes the necessary courses for admission to PA school, and this weekend, she gave me the gift of asking me to come to her naturalization ceremony at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Durham, North Carolina.  Carmela is from Italy, or as she says, "I am a Roman."

I went to the ceremony with no particular expectations. I am from Chicago, and have never needed, or been interested in attending one of these ceremonies. As I approached the new two story  brick building just off the freeway in southern Durham, I could see others arriving, and I began to get a feeling for this gathering. Departing from their individual cars, it was apparent that families were coming to witness this swearing in. Three or four diverse looking people would get out of each car, and head towards the silver aluminum double doors of the building.  It was easy to see who was the new citizen candidate in each group, because that person had a slight bounce to their step, and seemed to walk with head up, facing forward with a  bit of pride in their step.

As I entered the crowded lobby there was  an atmosphere of jubilant excitement with  rapid fire talking in many languages.   We were told to line up for the security check. I felt disappointed by this process, because I didn't think these new citizens should have to join the "land of the free" by going through a security checkpoint.  It seemed contradictory to me, but I was older than most of the people there, and I can remember the older, "freer" America.

After I went back to the parking lot to leave my favorite pocket knife in the front seat, I returned to the building, emptied my pockets of numerous items, walked through the metal detector gauntlet, reassembled myself and proceeded into the large meeting room.

The room was crowded. I estimated about 300 people there with the candidates in the front half, and the families in the back. At the front wall of the room stood the American flag, and the flag of the Department of Homeland Security, flanking large aluminum letters spelling out "US Citizenship & Immigration Services."

After we sang the national anthem, the introductory welcome and talk seemed a bit "canned," but kept my interest because it dealt with the interesting question of what makes us Americans. Fortunately, I had at least thought about that during my many travels around the United States.  The best approximation of the answer became that it is our belief in the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States; we are endowed by our Creator with certain rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. No one is supposed to tell us what we can do or where we can go. Liberty, the quintessential basis of the American idea. I was starting to get involved in this process now as the Department of Homeland Security had touched on my most cherished belief: individual Liberty.

The movie which followed, Faces of America, was poignant and well done. It was a montage of photos from immigrants of the last hundred years of so, and painted an effective picture of the American melting pot. We looked at children and families in their native dress, the tired, poor, and huddled masses. They really are here aren't they. It made it clear that many had become before this day's group, and it seemed to join all the candidates there to the history of this vigorous nation. It made all of us feel part of the process of building our nation. I even thought of my grandparents coming here from England and Germany in the early 1900s.

This day, the United States gained 62 new citizens from 32 countries. Talk about diversity! As they called our the name of each country, the candidates from there would stand: China, Somalia, Germany, Guinea, Libya, Russia, Italy--Carmela stood up, happy and proud-- Poland, Columbia, , Nicaragua, Costa Rica, it seemed to go on and on.  The young man from Venezuela, in the US military uniform was given special recognition as he stood up,"he has pledged to give his life for his new country." He deserved that recognition.

It was now time for the Field Office Director to administer the Oath, and while these almost citizens jumped across our national  threshold and became American citizens ,they promised to renounce fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, or state that they had previously been a subject or citizen; to support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America; to bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law; to perform noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by the law; to perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law. They stated that they were taking this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. "So help me God." What a jubilant moment, as the room exploded with applause!

The ceremony then drew to a close with a short film of Barack Obama welcoming all the new citizens, a recorded singing of God Bless America, by Lee Greenwood with a background film of the many special sites across the United States, and some closing remarks and advice to the new citizens not to keep their citizenship filed away in a drawer, but to use it and participate by getting involved here and most important, to vote.

Overall, it was a great day. It was a great day for Carmela, and for me. I had a chance to think about America, and experience our current history as we continue to build this great nation. I  thought about the many cultures and countries that come here because of the promise of liberty, and a better future. I had the chance to see America's  future in the 32 countries represented in this ceremony, and to feel the excitement in the courageous individuals who left their home to build a better life. In the words of Lee Greenwood's song I was "proud to be an American" this day. I think that is good feeling, and I wish others would take the two hours time it takes to go to one of these ceremonies to experience this joy. E Pluribus Unum, hallelujah, hallelujah!