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SEPTEMBER 1, 2019, BROOKLYN WEEKLY
‘It’s a wonderful feeling’
More than 200 new citizens naturalized at Downtown courthouse
BY KEVIN DUGGAN
They let freedom ring!
More than 230 people became
United States citizens at
a packed naturalization ceremony
in Brooklyn Federal
Court Thursday morning.
The Cadman Plaza E. courthouse
was filled with brand
new Americans hailing from
all corners of the globe during
the Aug. 22 event, which
was presided over by Judge Pamela
Chen, who spoke about
the country’s strength through
its diversity, according to one
Queens woman in attendance.
“I thought it was nice for the
judge to recognize that a lot of
the people who were a part of
this ceremony came from all
different countries,” said Abby
Salazar. “The diversity is what
makes this country special and
think that was a nice recognition.”
Salazar joined her mother
Jovita Revilla, who came to
The Land of Opportunity from
the Philippines nearly 20 years
ago and was delighted to receive
her citizenship after all
those years.
“It feels exciting. I’m happy,
of course, and it’s almost two
decades, so it’s a wonderful feeling
that finally I’m an American
citizen,” Revilla said.
The courthouse hosts largescale
naturalizations in its ceremonial
courtroom four days
a week, from Tuesday to Friday
— sometimes twice a day
— year-round. As many as 260
people attend the ceremonies,
according to Ogoro Francis, a
spokeswoman for the District
Executive Office of the Eastern
District of New York.
The street outside the building
near Tillary Street was
filled with elated families posing
for pictures with their
freshly-minted documents,
which some of them received
after leaving their countries to
seek refuge in the U.S. of A.
One man and his mother f led
Burma some five years ago and
the two were relieved to finally
have a country to proudly call
their own after years in limbo.
“It’s overwhelming and
emotional because finally we
became permanent citizens,”
said Nasir Hussein, who became
WORTH THE WAIT: Jovita Revilla (left) became a United States citizen after arriving in the country from the Philippines almost 20 years ago and celebrated outside
Brooklyn Federal Court with her daughter Abby Salazar. Photos by Kevin Duggan
an American along with
his mother Najma. “Previously,
you know, as a refugee you
don’t have any state and any
citizenship and now we finally
got confirmed that this is our
country and we can proudly
say that the United States is
our country.”
One mother, who came to
the States from Colombia four
years ago, celebrated her new
nationality and said that citizenship
will allow her to take
care of her family.
“I am happy, it’s important
for my life and it’s very good
for my daughter and family
that the United States is giving
me this opportunity,” said Giovanna
Triana, who was there
with her daughter Nicole.
NEW CITIZENS: (Above left) Giovanna Triana, posing with her daugher Nicole, arrived from Colombia four years ago and
said she was happy to become an American citizen. (Above right) Nasir Hussein and his mother Najma fl ed Burma as
refugees some fi ve years ago and were delighted to fi nally call America their home.