Bryce Haugen
brycevincenthaugen@gmail.com
Min Zhang dreamed of becoming a United States citizen long before she moved to this country from China in 2014.
That dream came true on Thursday, Sept. 12, as Zhang, along with 109 other immigrants from 29 countries, became American citizens during a naturalization ceremony at Minnesota State University Moorhead’s Comstock Memorial Union.
“I just feel so excited, so proud of myself to be an American,” Zhang said. “I obviously fell in love with this country. It’s a great country.”
She’s most excited to vote; she filled out her voter registration card even before taking the citizenship oath.
“It’s my voice,” Zhang said.
Federal District Court Chief Judge Michael E. Ridgway presided over the ceremony, during which immigrants from Canada and Mexico to Sri Lanka and India to Ghana and Latvia – with the largest contingents from Iraq and Somalia – were, as Ridgway put it “welcomed to the protections and responsibilities of a very special status, that of citizen of the United States of America.”
Arrick Jackson, MSUM vice president for academic affairs, and the university’s student body president William Hagen, addressed the new Americans before they took the oath.
“We reflect on the meaning of citizenship whether it is by choice or by birth, to celebrate the promise and potential of our diverse and inclusive society,” Jackson said.
Hagen told the crowd: “(Becoming a citizen) is a decision of profound dedication and commitment to this community and this country. I applaud you.”
MSUM business law professor Ralf Mehnert-Meland, a naturalized citizen from Germany, spoke about his own experience moving to this country 34 years ago.
“Now that you’re citizens, don’t give up your culture; bring it into ours …” Mehnert-Meland said. “From one new American to another, welcome to the land of the free. This is an amazing country with amazing people, an amazing system of laws and opportunities. It makes me very proud to be an American and I hope you will be as well.”
After administering the citizenship oath, Ridgway talked about the protections Americans enjoy, including freedom of expression, speech and religion – to criticize the government without fear of punishment. He spoke of the responsibilities of citizenship – “with that freedom comes responsibility” – primarily exercising the right to vote, but also the importance of broader community involvement and education.
“Live respectfully and at peace with one another,” Ridgway added. “As new citizens, you can set an example of compassion and tolerance for all of us to follow.”
Following the ceremony, Kin Farah, who immigrated from Somalia in 2012, sported a smile from ear to ear.
“I was waiting a long time for this,” she said through an interpreter. “I’m very happy to be a citizen of the United States.”
As he waited in line for a photo with the judge, Bashar Shamwna, 23, told of how he came to the United States in 2013 to escape the instability of northern Iraq after ISIS took over his hometown of Mosul.
“(Citizenship) is an absolute honor,” Shamwna said. “I’m really glad I’m in this country, the land of dreams and opportunities.”