FINDLAY, OH (WLIO) - We live in a land with freedoms like no other. Words we hear frequently but sometimes may take for granted. Today at the University of Findlay, nearly 60 immigrants took their final step in becoming legal U.S. citizens.
For over a decade, the University of Findlay has had the honor of hosting a diverse group of immigrants as they take their last steps toward becoming citizens of the United States of America.
"It's a joyous event; we bring in area high schools, the bands come, the choir comes, we have student government. It's really a full community experience that lets them know in this moment when they're taking oath as citizens that they have all these U.S. citizens already behind them," said Ron Tulley, University of Findlay.
Supporting these new fellow Americans gives them a sense of belonging. Some have waited decades for this day and worked extremely hard to get here, and they can now rest easy knowing they and their family have a new home.
"I'm very emotional right now because I did not expect it to be like this, honestly. I didn't have time to think about it because I worked a lot of hours last week. But today I was like, 'Wow, this is very serious' and I'm really happy that I have the chance to be here and happy for becoming a United States citizen. I'm looking forward to vote, for the president, so yeah," stated Tatiana Draguta, a new American citizen from Moldova.
Approximately 58 people from 32 different countries were sworn in as U.S. citizens after taking their oath and have done everything they've been asked to do to be called Americans.
"You know immigration is in the news, a lot of times in a bad way. But this is the good immigration. The whole country is made up of immigrants, and people have done it the right way and gone through the steps, and worked really hard. I sometimes work into my remarks that when someone inherits money, perhaps they don't appreciate it as much as someone who works really hard to get what they have. Same thing with citizenship. Many of us who are born citizens don't respect it as much as somebody who's had to work to attain it," explained James R. Knepp II, United States District Judge, Northern District of Ohio.
