Naturalization Ceremony

In my efforts to further understand the issue of migration, I attended a Naturalization ceremony at the Sandra Day O'Connor U.S. Courthouse in Phoenix, Arizona. A naturalization ceremony, or naturalization oath ceremony, is the last and final step for migrants who are in the process of receiving official citizenship to the United States. While this ceremony is certainly a systematic formality, it is by no means a dry or emotionless event to attend. In fact, it was an incredibly moving and emotional experience to be a part of, for the new citizens and the audience alike.

Nonetheless, even with the incredible diversity represented in both the room of migrants and of the speeches, there was an undeniable commonality shared in all of the speeches: hope for the future. The room roared in applause, as they fought back tears and graciously gave thanks.

After the speeches, the inductees were instructed to stand up and repeat the oath of naturalization. Below is a video of the new citizens reciting the oath:

Once the oath was finished, the packed room joined in solidarity with the new citizens to sing the national anthem and pledge allegiance to the flag. As I looked around the room, I realized what an incredibly diverse group we were, not only in terms of our national origin--but also in terms of our race, gender, socioeconomic status, professions, and age. Children and grandparents, firefighters and police officers, natural born citizens and citizens-to-be alike all gathered together in one room honoring and recognizing what makes the United States the rich and vibrant place that it is: immigrants. I couldn't think of a better representation of what America truly looks like.

For more information about attending a Naturalization Ceremony, I have provided you with some information about Sandra Day O'Connor Courthouse, which holds a Naturalization Ceremony every Friday at 10: and 1:30. Please see below for more details.