Linda Roberson, originally from England, receives her certificate of citizenship from U.S. Judge Harry S. Mattice after Thursday’s ceremony. The Oath of Allegiance was administered to 105 applicants from 45 countries on Thursday during a ceremony held in the General Carl E. Levi Drill Hall at the National Guard Armory.
Truong Nguyen, originally from Vietnam, raises his hand with others while swearing the Oath of Allegiance on Thursday. The oath was administered to 105 applicants from 45 countries on Thursday during a ceremony held in the General Carl E. Levi Drill Hall at the National Guard Armory.
Angela Miller, center, smiles after taking the Oath of Allegiance on Thursday afternoon. The oath was administered to 105 applicants from 45 countries on Thursday during a ceremony held in the General Carl E. Levi Drill Hall at the National Guard Armory.
Hooraeem Ameen holds her son Muhamad, 9-months-old, while her husband Nizar is naturalized as a citizen Thursday afternoon. The Ameens are from Jordan. The Oath of Allegiance was administered to 105 applicants from 45 countries on Thursday during a ceremony held in the General Carl E. Levi Drill Hall at the National Guard Armory.
Shaun Mursell, originally from England, poses for a portrait after receiving his certificate of citizenship Thursday afternoon. The Oath of Allegiance was administered to 105 applicants from 45 countries on Thursday during a ceremony held in the General Carl E. Levi Drill Hall at the National Guard Armory.
Lt. Col. Robert Ward leads cadets Tyler Thompson, Chris Robinson, Hannah Sapp, and Krista Burnette, left to right, of the Soddy-Daisy High School JROTC to their positions Thursday afternoon. The Oath of Allegiance was administered to 105 applicants from 45 countries on Thursday during a ceremony held in the General Carl E. Levi Drill Hall at the National Guard Armory.Shaun Mursell came to the United States from the United Kingdom about six years ago to attend Dalton State College. Once here, the 24-year-old developed an interest in American law.
“I fell in love with the legal system here,” he said.
Mursell is applying to law school, and he hopes one day to become a federal judge. To achieve his long-term goal, he decided to become a U.S. citizen.
More than 100 candidates from more than 40 countries became U.S. citizens Thursday afternoon at a ceremony at the National Guard Armory. Chattanooga typically holds two naturalization ceremonies a year.
In the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, more than 619,000 people were naturalized in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. More than 4,200 people in Tennessee and 213 people in the Chattanooga area became citizens during that time.