The New Hampshire Institute of Politics (NHIOP) hosted the community’s annual Naturalization Ceremony on Sept. 23. The approximately hour-long ceremony began with remarks made by officers from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The two officers greeted the families and seated them in the NHIOP Auditorium.

Everyone being naturalized during the ceremony was lined up outside the door to the auditorium and entered the room one by one. The USCIS officers asked each of those being naturalized a set of questions, filled out the forms before them, and checked the person’s Green Card.

Following the opening remarks, Neil Levesque, Executive Director of the NHIOP, delivered a message expressing the importance of the Institute and how the Naturalization Ceremony was by far the most extraordinary event held each year.

Sarah King ’18 recited the pledge of allegiance and everyone in the room joined, after which a student from Saint Anselm’s choir sang the national anthem.

The ceremony continued with the USCIS officers called each country listed among the participants present. As the officer read down the list, a citizen stood in response to hearing their country called. Twenty-eight countries in total were represented at the ceremony. Once the entire group of participants was standing, they swore the oath recited by the USCIS officers. It was mentioned that if one of the newly naturalized citizens had children less than 18 years of age, this ceremony also naturalized their children.

To conclude the ceremony, the participants, now officially naturalized, left the auditorium in single file, receiving their documentation as they passed through the door.

Several of those naturalized approached students who attended the event to thank them for witnessing the ceremony.