‘There is room here to dream’: Naturalization ceremony focuses on hope for brand new US citizens
PROVIDENCE — They’d waited so long for this.
They were grandparents who’ve lived here for decades, new parents with infants, and young adults just starting out, who’d made their way to the United States from 13 different countries. They’d put down roots and built their lives in Rhode Island, and faced headwinds for years as they sought citizenship in their chosen country.
On Wednesday, 31 men and women from nations around the world swore an Oath of Allegiance that cemented their place in the United States. They raised their right hands in the same courtroom at US District Court where, just a week ago, Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. had affirmed the rights of immigrants from 39 African, Asian, Latin American, and Middle Eastern countries and rejected the Trump administration’s attempts to bar them from legal asylum and immigration proceedings.
“I see in your faces the solemn pride, exuberant joy, and much awaited relief marking this profound moment your personal journeys,” Judge Melissa Dubose said.
She said shewas reminded of her own beginnings, growing up with her two sisters in Providence’sMount Hope neighborhood. They weren’t a family of privilege, she told the crowd, “but what we never lacked was hope, and hope was anchored in the promise of America. That’s a promise that no matter where you begin, no matter what challenges you face, there is room here to dream. There is room here to strive. There is room here to excel.”
Dubose said she is a descendant of slaves in America, “one of the darkest chapters in this country’s history.” And yet, they carried forward the values of resilience, strength, devotion to family, “and a deep belief in the fundamental principle of the nation’s seal: E Pluribus Unum. Out of many, one,” she said. The US seal was visible on the wall behind her.
These soon-to-be citizens came from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Iran, Mali, Nigeria, the Philippines, Portugal, Ukraine, and Venezuela. Their paths may differ, Dubose said, but they were equals. “We share the same enduring belief in freedom, justice, hope, and community,” she said. “That promise is why so many of you came here, and today you become the stewards of that promise in a very profound way. Your promise is not only a gift. It’s a responsibility.”
Dubose wanted them to know the rights they were about to inherit: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to vote, and the right to participate fully in civic life.
“As we celebrate our country’s 250th birthday, it is important to remember that our democracy is not perfect,” she said. “It was not perfect at first, and it’s not perfect now. But immigrants, folks like you, and people in generations who came before, have always been at the center of perfecting it.”
“You bring your talents, your traditions, your resilience, and your voices,” she continued. “And when you believe in freedom, equality, and justice, then you are as American as anyone, including those whose families have been here for centuries.”
Citizenship, the judge said, is an act of love. “It is love for the possibility of what we can be when we all strive to live up to our common ideals,” Dubose said. “This is a love that is strong enough to work for, to sacrifice for and to persevere for, so that all of our children and grandchildren and future generations will inherit a country that is strong, compassionate, and just.”
Then, the judge led them in the Oath of Allegiance. She faced the new citizens as they echoed her words, some holding small American flags.
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Jean Frede Bourdeau, who had emigrated from Haiti, hugged his grandchild, 8-year-old Gabriel Bourdeau, before rising to take the oath.
The crowd of well-wishers broke into applause. Then, they all recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Secretary of State Gregg Amore urged the new citizens to register to vote, and staff members handed each person bags of information about voter registration.
“Your greatest responsibility as an American citizen is to be an engaged citizen, to register to vote, and to cast that vote every opportunity you can,” Amore said.
Alex Popovych, who emigrated to the United States in 2000 from Ukraine, said he felt relief. He and his wife had built a life in Jamestown, R.I., where he’s an artist and owns a construction company that works on historical buildings. He spent the last four years seeking his citizenship, knowing that if he was ever deported, he would be sent to Russia and probably, as a Ukrainian, end up in prison.
“I’m going to cry like a baby now,” Popovych said later. He planned to cast his first vote this fall.
Al Philip Sanchez came from the Philippines and became a citizen in 2018. His wife, Ana Marie Sanchez, who is also from the Philippines, began the citizenship process during the COVID-19 pandemic.
By the time Ana Marie Sanchez was finally cleared to become a citizen, they were both new parents. Their 4-month-old son, Amari, was at the ceremony, wearing a white jumper decorated with American flag.
“It’s so gratifying. It’s a privilege to be a citizen,” Al Philip Sanchez said. “This is about our son’s future.”
When Ana Marie Sanchez’s name was called to accept her Certificate of Naturalization, her husband carried their son forward so they could stand together.
They posed for a picture with Judge Dubose. It was their first family photo as American citizens.
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