GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — 216 people became American citizens all at once Wednesday during a special group naturalization ceremony in Kent County.
U.S. District Judge Jane Marie Beckering was at the Forest Hills Fine Arts Center to administer what's called the oath of allegiance.
Judge Beckering read from the stage, "I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen."
After she finished the oath, all 216 people said in unison, "I do."
A group of fourth grade choir students from East Oakview opened things up with a musical introduction, led by teacher Lou Sinigos.
Sinigos himself is a naturalized citizen.
"Being a naturalized citizen, I felt I wanted to experience this again," he told FOX 17 Wednesday.
"It makes me feel so excited for our country, for them and for us who are here, because it just adds more richness to our nation.”
After taking their oath, everyone was presented with an American flag and citizenship papers.
"It's just like a big welcome, part of the family, a big family,” said a man from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A young woman, who once called Georgia and Russia home, said, “Michigan is my home now. It's been a couple years, but my family lives here and my son was born last year, and he became a citizen before me, by birth.”
Everyone then made their way up and across the stage, ending with a handshake and photo with Judge Beckering.
For some people, like Maria Soledad Rojas, Wednesday's ceremony was a long time coming.
Rojas has lived in West Michigan for 38 years now.
“I am happy, I feel like part of the family," she told FOX 17. "Because in reality, I lived half my life in Mexico and half my life here."
The ceremony included people from the following 58 countries: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, China, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Mexico, Namibia, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Rwanda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Spain, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Venezuela, Vietnam and Yemen.
