BANGOR, Maine — The third floor of the Margaret Chase Smith Federal Building in Bangor was filled with excitement Friday as friends and family gathered to support America’s newest 30 naturalized citizens.
So far this year, more than 600 other Mainers have gone through the process and had their own ceremonies.
“I absolutely enjoy every ceremony I participate in," Brandee Pryor, director for the United States Customs and Immigration Services Portland field office, said.
The people she works with are motivated to play a role in the American experiment.
“They want to be a part of the process. They want to be able to engage all of the civil liberties afforded to everyone else,” she said.
In the crowd, were brothers Jigarkumar and Alish Bhagat. Hailing from India, the two have owned and operated the Belmont Hotel in Skowhegan for four years.
They are overjoyed to now call themselves American citizens.
“I will definitely say from my heart, 'Thank you to America,’” Jigarkumar said. “Now that I am a citizen, I am so much happier now. There are no words to speak.”
Charles and Tega Chiwetalu were born and raised in Nigeria. They said that when they were growing up, they aspired to be American, which came to be during Friday's naturalization ceremony.
“Growing up as kids, way back in my home country. We used to watch a lot of American movies,” they said. “So now we are not watching it, we are living it.”
Charles said he is filled with a passion to serve and better his country, if not for himself but his two daughters, Kaine and Chioma.
“America is ours. We have to make America what America is. We have to build. We have to protect. We have to give everything for America,” he said. “Because we are Americans.”