COLUMBUS – It was a first for Columbus City Council chambers, which hosted a naturalization ceremony for more than 100 foreign-born immigrants on Thursday.
The 111 new American citizens from 35 countries recited an Oath of Allegiance to the United States and received legal documents denoting their new status as American citizens during the ceremony presided over by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Edmund Sargus, Jr.
“Most Americans were born here, but these 111 are special. They chose to come to America and to go through the immigration process, and I’m thankful they’re here. They picked us,” council member Emmanuel Remy said.
During a naturalization ceremony, foreign-born immigrants are conferred U.S. citizenship after they fulfill the requirements established by Congress.
The youngest member of the group to receive their citizenship papers on Thursday was 19 and the oldest was 76, Remy said.