Samuel Kanyamibwa’s path to becoming a United States citizen Tuesday spanned decades, mostly spent in a refugee camp in Rwanda after fleeing war in his homeland, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
His journey culminated with him swearing the citizenship oath, saying the Pledge of Allegiance and receiving a certificate at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center in Lawrenceville, with his wife and 12-year-old daughter by his side.
Kanyamibwa was one of 150 candidates from 50 different countries who became U.S. citizens during a special Independence Day-themed naturalization ceremony in Gwinnett County, the fastest-growing in Georgia and the most diverse in the Southeast. It was one of at least 45 special naturalization ceremonies U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is hosting this week across the country, creating 8,000 new citizens.
Kanyamibwa and his family settled six years ago in Clarkston. Now, he said, he can come and go from his homeland with a U.S. passport. He is also looking forward to voting.
U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath welcomed the new citizens into a new phase of their lives, noting that July 2 marks the day the Continental Congress formally voted for America’s independence in 1776.
“Immigrants made vital contributions to the very foundation of this democracy,” McBath said. “It is essential that as we celebrate our nation’s Independence Day, which we will do this week, we be reminded that no matter where you come from, no matter what your story is, America yearns for the contributions of all her people.”
Cobb County couple Shweta Biliya and Yatin Kanetkar celebrated their recently earned citizenship by registering to vote at a station right outside the ceremony.
Credit: Steve Schaefer /
Credit: Steve Schaefer /
“We’ve been living in this country for 18 years without having a voice,” Biliya said. “Being able to now vote, that meant a lot.”
Previously Indian citizens, Biliya and Kenetar met before immigrating but lost touch until they reconnected in the U.S. Their two children, ages seven and three, were born in the states and already have passports, so Kanetkar said he is excited to travel abroad more easily as a family.
Peta-Kaye Roberts, a DeKalb County resident who immigrated from Jamaica in 2017, also joined her husband and young daughter as a U.S. Citizen. Her relatives congratulated her after the ceremony, where they took photos holding a handmade sign decorated with flowers.
“It took years, but it was worth it,” Roberts said. “This was long overdue and long anticipated. I am just happy right now — I’m still processing everything.”
To welcome new citizens, a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services section chief asked participants to stand for their nationality during a “country roll call,” eliciting roaring applause from an audience of family and friends.
“One of the things you feel bad about is that you’re giving up your Indian passport, giving up your country of origin,” Kanetkar said. “So being able to celebrate your heritage during the ceremony, I think that’s a really nice touch.”
Credit: Steve Schaefer /
Credit: Steve Schaefer /
More than a quarter of Gwinnett residents come from another country, said Gwinnett County Commission chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson.
“I’m immensely proud that our county is a place where people from all over the world choose to put down their roots,“ Hendrickson said. “Diversity isn’t just a concept, it’s our strength.”
Saiful Mollah, 50, who lives with his family near Lilburn, was naturalized also Tuesday, six years after immigrating from Bangladesh. His wife and 20-year-old daughter were naturalized in recent months.
His 13-year-old daughter, Sayma Alam, said she was proud of how hard her parents worked to become citizens, a process that includes a 100-question history and government test.
The older daughter, Alehi Alam, said she was excited to apply for government jobs. She said the family came to join her mother’s sister near Lilburn.
“We also wanted a better life, better education,” Alam said.
