New Citizens
“I love this country!” “Freedom!” “More opportunity for my kids.”
These were the reasons given time after time among the 40 new citizens before they took their oath as Americans at the outdoor ceremony in front of the historic Sandy Hook Lighthouse this week.
Conducted by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services Newark Office Deputy District Director Paul Correia served as master of ceremonies with the Honor Guard from MAST, the Marine Academy of Science and Technology presenting colors and staying throughout the ceremony which included both the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Keith Dorr, field office director from the Immigration Services office at Mount Laurel administered the oath in which each of the new citizens vowed to renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign sovereignty where he or she has been a subject or citizen in the past. The new citizens also vowed to support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States, bear arms when required, as well as noncombatant service in the armed forces when required, and perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by law.
Monmouth County Commissioner Lillian G. Burry welcomed the new citizens to the nation and to Monmouth County, tracing her own pride in being a first generation American because of her hardworking parents who came from Italy. Middletown Mayor Tony Perry also congratulated the new citizens, all of whom live in Monmouth County. Perry drew applause when he greeted the citizens as “My Fellow Americans” then asked, “How does that feel?”
Mount Laurel Immigration Office Superintendent Vincent Stokes led the Pledge of Allegiance for the new citizens and the more than 100 family members and guests in attendance.
Jennifer T. Nersesian, Superintendent of the Gateway National Recreation Area at Sandy Hook, was keynote speaker for the program and reminded both guests and honorees of the diversity offered by the National Parks system which enables all to explore, visit, diversify and appreciate the beauty of the nation and the importance of preservation and history. She reminded the new citizens that their taking their oath at the historic site, near the oldest still operating lighthouse in the country “as of today, this is your park, and you are part of its history.” Nersesian also spoke of her grandparents who came from Armenia to be citizens and her husband, a citizen who came from Costa Rica.
Members of the DAR, the Daughters of the American Revolution Middletown Chapter, gave gifts of flags, bookmarks, patriotic pinwheels the story behind the Pledge of Allegiance as well as booklets of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence to each of the new Americans.
But the pride, the tears, the emotion and the smiles of the new citizens from 22 different countries told the story of why they gave up allegiance to their own country, why they studied, learned and took tests to be qualified to be sworn as American citizens, and why they are taking that step now. For Prahart Patel, who came from India seven years ago and is a resident of Freehold, his reasons besides love of America and the freedom it offers includes the fact “my whole family is here.” Employed by a medical agency, Pagel said that “democracy has a different meaning here than in other countries,” and he added from now on, he simply “wants to be a good citizen.”
Camila Panella came from Brazil 13 years ago, lives in Middletown, and said she is a citizen because “I want to belong to the greatest nation in the world, Married and the parent of two children, Panella is a HR resource manager and said she loves the country so much and is so happy that both her children are already American citizens because of being born here.
Yenny Esbenal of Keyport came from the Dominican Republic, lives in Keyport and is a citizen because the nation offers more opportunity for each of her four children. She is a decorator with a bakery and noted she still has great ride in her own native land as well.
Sylvestre Innocent came from Haiti five years ago and notes one of his reasons is seeing the changes in his own country where there has been great violence, his mother died, and he wants to be an American. He added with pride that his brother is already an American citizen as well and is serving in the US Army. Innocent lives in Neptune.
Ernestine DaSilva, who lives in Long Branch and did not let a couple of accidents keep her from the ceremony, sat proudly among friends and family in her wheelchair, her injured leg aloft, to take the oath. DaSilva said she came from Portugal 37 years ago and thinks “it’s about time!” she made it official how much she loves the United States. “My two daughters are here, my BFF is here, my grandchildren are here, it’s great for me to be here as well.” One of her daughters was born in the United States, the other, born in Portugal is a citizen.
The new citizens came from Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Germany, Ghana, Haiti, India, Italy, Jamaca, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Korea, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and Uruguay.
None of the new citizens wanted to comment on their feelings for those seeking entry into the country through the Southern border illegally. One new citizen simply said, “they should not break the law to come here.”
